


The Lost Heir of Seiros

by teecup_angel



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dimitri is a Disaster, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Church Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Fluff and Angst, Mutual Pining, Organized Crime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-11 18:24:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 94,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20550656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teecup_angel/pseuds/teecup_angel
Summary: Byleth’s unexciting (for her) life takes a turn when a car crashes near their home in the middle of the night. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s become a member of the Seiros Family, a crime syndicate controlling the city of Fodlan, and gets involved in the dangerous activities of the family.(modern crime syndicate AU, eventual Dimileth, rated mature for violence)





	1. Meeting at Twilight (MAIN)

**Author's Note:**

> This idea was born from the different FE3H characters in suits images eisneRiegan showed me. My childhood friends 'encouraged' me to actually make my random mafia au idea into a multi-chaptered fic so here we are.
> 
> Some plot points are heavily influenced by the 4 routes so I'm tagging all routes spoilers to be sure. And I have no idea how to tag this. There will be fluff. There will be angst. There will be... my questionable humor most probably.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crash wakes Byleth in the middle of the night. She never did like that apple tree anyway…

Byleth was five years old when she first heard Sothis. She had been playing alone while her dad was on a job when Sothis first spoke. She taught Byleth proper tea etiquette and even slept next to Byleth. Her babysitter didn’t see her at all. When Byleth told her dad about Sothis, her dad’s eyes widened and he immediately talked to her babysitter about Byleth’s new friend. After that talk, her dad will simply listen to all the adventures she had with Sothis with a wistful smile. Byleth would later realize people thought Sothis was her imaginary friend. When she didn’t disappear even after Byleth had reached her sixteenth birthday, people would suggest to her dad that Sothis is a coping mechanism Byleth developed due to her isolated and sheltered upbringing. Byleth stopped talking about Sothis to other people not long after that but she knew that her dad knew that Sothis was still around, whispering in her ear and keeping her company whenever she was left to her own devices.

Byleth was eight years old when she first held a handgun. It was too big for her small hands and too heavy for her to use for a long period of time. It would be later that she realized that her dad had deliberately chose a handgun that would be difficult for a child her age to use at the time. Her dad had placed 2 cans and 3 bottles on the wooden fence behind their barn before giving her the gun. He patiently instructed her on how to safely handle the gun, how to aim and what to expect when she fire. They practiced until she could shoot all 5 objects in succession. Every weekend, her dad would give her a different firearm and they would practice until he was satisfied with her accuracy and handling of the firearm for the week.

Close quarter combat didn’t seriously start until she was thirteen years old. Before the rigorous CQC training, her dad would give her simple routines to keep her in shape, practice different scenarios which she needed to figure out how to get out, escape or incapacitate someone. One time, her dad had locked her in the trunk of the car and instructed her on how to escape from the outside. They practiced until she could do it without any prompting or reminders from her dad. 

They had to replace the tailgate of their car after that activity. 

Byleth was eighteen years old when her dad finally took her to one of his jobs. He let her prepare the sniper rifle, aim it at the middle-aged man walking with a younger woman in his arms, and pulled the trigger at her dad’s command. They left without a trace. 

She felt nothing about taking a life. 

It was a job. They were hired to kill a target. 

That was all. 

Sothis was obviously displeased of her lack of reaction over it but they didn’t talk about it and they didn’t acknowledge it. 

She would be twenty years old before her dad let her take down a mark on her own. She did everything perfectly. 

She always did everything perfectly. 

“Keep a low profile. Do not engage unless necessary. Always use a different name but never forget which name you have given. Never forget your contacts and _ always _dye your hair.” 

She never understood the last two rules but she never asked. Sometimes, she would look at Sothis’ darker green hair and beautiful green eyes and feel a bit displeased by her dyed dark teal hair and blue contacts but she trusts her dad so she always remembered to abide by those rules. 

And that was how her life continued. 

Until one night when she woke up to the sound of tires screeching against the pavement. She heard a crash and she stood immediately, reaching for the pistol she keeps hidden underneath her pillow. 

Behind her, Sothis grumbled as she sleepily growled, “Ugh, I hope somebody is dead or dying. How dare they disturb our sleep.” 

She rolled her eyes at Sothis’ antics but kept quiet, walking towards her window. She kept the lights off, pressing her side against the wall next to the window as she lifted the curtain slowly. 

The porch lights and the headlights of a car was the only source of light outside. The black car had crashed on the large apple tree in front of their home. Three figures got out of the car, a young woman and two young men. They look like they were around the same age as Byleth but she couldn’t be sure. They were all wearing the same black suit and tie but each had a different shirt under the jacket. 

The young man with dark hair and a darker complexion compared to his companions laughed breathlessly before commenting as he pulled his tie and unbuttoning the first button of his yellow shirt, “Nice going, Dimitri, you just rammed our only way of escape to a tree.” 

The other young man with blond hair called Dimitri pressed a hand against his temple as he replied, “My apologies. One of the bullets seemed to have hit something and I lost control.” 

The only young woman with them sighed and patted her suit as she walked a few steps from the crash and Byleth wondered if her shirt was really blood red or if she was injured, “At the very least, it seems we are all alright. You are alright, correct? Dimitri? Claude?” 

Dimitri nodded as he replied, fixing the collar of his blue shirt, “I’m fine, Edelgard. Thank you for asking.” 

“Other than getting almost pancaked thanks to his princeliness? Yup. Still alright.” Claude replied with a hint of sarcasm lacing his tone. When he saw that Dimitri was frowning at him, he winked at him. Dimitri sighed and shook his head but didn’t say anything in his defense. Claude looked at the wreckage and asked almost like he was talking to himself, “Where did that bullet hit anyway? The break?” 

Byleth could hear the sounds of two speeding vehicles approaching their location. 

From the sounds of it, maybe 7 to 10 minutes before they get to their location? 

Both Dimitri and the young woman named Edelgard reached for the inside of their jacket, taking out a handgun. There wasn’t enough light for Byleth to identify what type of handgun they were holding but both of them held their respective firearm with the ease of a practiced individual. Claude walked towards the trunk of the crashed car and raised his arm just in time to catch something Dimitri threw at him. It turned out to be the car key that opened the trunk. Claude took out a violin case and opened it. 

Byleth immediately knew that it kept a disassembled sniper rifle. 

Her dad gave her a similar case for her sniper rifle. 

While Claude quickly assembled the sniper rifle, Dimitri briskly walked to Claude’s side. 

“Oh? He’s protecting him.” Sothis commented behind her and she nodded at Sothis’ observation. Dimitri was in front of the car, obscuring Claude from view, while Edelgard remained behind the car where she could easily take cover but have an unobstructed view of everything. She could easily provide cover fire from where she was. 

“We should take cover inside that house.” Edelgard suggested as Claude finished assembling his sniper rifle. 

“There could be someone inside!” Dimitri immediately argued, frowning at Edelgard. 

“There could be no one inside too.” Claude countered, hefting the sniper rifle over his shoulder as he continued, “I mean, think about it. No one has checked if we’re okay or anything. Don’t people usually see if anyone is alive when there’s a car crash?” 

Dimitri’s lips curved to a displeased frown but he remained quiet. 

“We have no choice, Dimitri.” Edelgard said in a cool collected manner. With a grim expression, Dimitri nodded. Edelgard nodded in acknowledgement as well and watched as Dimitri took point, walking briskly but cautiously towards the house. Edelgard and Claude followed him closely. 

Once Byleth knew that the three were walking towards their house, she quietly moved away from the window. She took the knife hidden under her bed and walked out of her bedroom. She opened her door slowly, making sure to keep it from squeaking like normal. She only opened the door enough for her to slip pass thru, keeping her handgun in front of her but aimed low, resting the butt of her handgun against the back of the hand holding the knife. There was no light coming from the crack of her dad’s bedroom door and she briefly wondered if he went out without informing her after she went to sleep. She descended the stairs, skipping the creaky fifth step and aimed her handgun at the front door just in time to see it open. 

“Don’t move.” Her dad’s gruff voice commanded from the shadows next to the door, his shotgun aimed right at Dimitri’s chest. 

Byleth quietly ascended the stairs once more, aiming her handgun at Dimitri’s right leg. Skipping the creaky fifth step and stopping on the top of the stairs, she watched as Dimitri stared at her dad. 

“No one inside, was it, Claude?” Dimitri deadpanned before he gave a sigh that sounded like a man who was used to being aimed at. 

“I didn’t say no one was inside.” Claude defended in an almost carefree manner, “I said ‘could be’. Big difference.” 

“We mean no harm. We simply need a place to hide.” Edelgard stated, trying to salvage the situation, “We are being pursued and they will be here soon. Believe me, they will not hesitate to kill you as well.” 

“Slowly get inside with your hands where I can see them.” Her dad ordered as he turned on the lights, keeping his shotgun aimed at Dimitri as he entered the house with his hands up, holding his handgun with his right hand but keeping his index finger away from the trigger. Edelgard and Claude entered cautiously as well with their hands up. Claude kept his sniper rifle against his right shoulder while Edelgard’s handgun was nowhere to be seen. All three kept their eyes on her dad, oblivious to Byleth. Dimitri slowly moved so he was covering Edelgard but her dad aimed his shotgun at Dimitri’s chest, “Don’t move, kid.” 

Dimitri stopped but didn’t return to his previous position, protecting at least half of Edelgard’s smaller figure. 

Byleth aimed her handgun at Edelgard. The blond may be protecting his companion from her dad’s shotgun but Byleth has a clear shot if the need arises. A few seconds passed by with the only sound coming from the approaching mysterious vehicles and Byleth watched as her dad stared at the three. 

“Shit.” Her dad cursed and lowered his shotgun. He rubbed his face and cursed, “Fuck. You’re from the Seiros Family.” 

“Oh? You know us?” Claude asked in a carefree manner while Edelgard and Dimitri looked surprised. 

Edelgard quickly returned to a blank expression while Dimitri opened his mouth but her dad cut him whatever he was about to say with a frustrated growl, “I don’t know either of you kids but this blondie looks exactly like Lambert when he was the same age. Jesus fuck.” 

“You knew my father?” Dimitri’s voice cracked as he asked, his eyes wide. 

Her dad raised his shotgun at the three once more and growled, “Did Rhea sent you? Does she know we’re here?” 

“Woah, woah. Let’s all calm down, okay?” Claude interrupted, taking a step away from Dimitri and Edelgard, “Lady Rhea didn’t send us. We don’t even know who you are or whatever you are to the main branch. Our car was shot at and we tried to escape but our car crashed… thanks to his princeliness over here.” 

Dimitri's shoulders dropped a bit, obviously due to Claude's additional comment, but he remained silent. 

“Claude is right. We have no business with you nor do we care about your relationship with the main branch. We simply wanted-” 

Whatever Edelgard was about to say was cut off by the skidding of two cars to a stop. They all turned towards the door and her dad immediately closed it. 

Her dad pressed his back against the wall next to the door while Dimitri took the other wall, holding his handgun with both hands but he kept his index finger away from the trigger. Edelgard crouched behind the sofa, her handgun immediately aimed at the door while Claude ran towards the stairs, stopping when he finally noticed Byleth who was now aiming her handgun at his chest. Claude blinked before cheerfully greeting, “Oh, hello there.” 

Both Edelgard and Dimitri turned towards Claude and were surprised by the silent woman on top of the stairs. 

“Byleth, trade.” Her dad ordered and Byleth immediately walked pass Claude towards her dad. 

Claude pressed his back against the wall so Byleth could pass, turning his head upwards as he commented, “Nice dress, by the way.” 

Dimitri’s cheeks reddened as he sputtered, “Claude!” 

Claude simply grinned at her dad’s glare while she blinked at Claude, not sure what he meant by that. 

Sothis groaned as she reminded her, “We forgot to take a robe.” 

Oh. Right. 

She was wearing a nightgown, one of her shorter black ones that ends by her thigh with lace covering her chest which she picked because it was a hot night when she went to sleep. Her dad simply sighed and threw his shotgun at her. She threw her handgun at him and caught the shotgun. 

“They’re not in the car!” 

“Check the house!” 

Her dad quietly walked towards the kitchen as he ordered, “Sniper on top. There’s a window on the second floor overlooking the front of the house. Target everyone still outside once they start entering. Blaiddyd kid and red girl, stay behind the couch, do not fire until my daughter says so. Byleth.” 

“First strike.” Byleth said and her dad nodded. Claude had already disappeared to the second floor. 

“I’ll circle around back and take out anyone coming from behind us.” Her dad finished before walking briskly towards the kitchen. Dimitri walked towards the couch but stopped in front of Byleth. Looking at the floor, he took off his jacket and offered it to Byleth. 

Byleth blinked at him, staring at the shoulder gun holster he was wearing. Byleth didn’t realize he had another gun hidden under that suit jacket. 

Sothis cleared her throat before ordering, “Well? Take the jacket and say ‘thank you’. Give the poor boy a break. He looks ready to burst.” 

Byleth noticed Dimitri’s ears had turned red just as his face but did not comment on it even when Sothis was cooing at how adorable it was in her usual condescending way. She took the jacket and placed it on her shoulder as she said, “Thank you.” 

“We’re terribly sorry for barging-” 

The sound of the door knob turning stopped Dimitri’s words and he nodded at Byleth grimly before he quickly rushed towards the sofa, crouching next to Edelgard. 

The door opened and everyone held their breath. Once Byleth saw the foot of a man entered their home, Byleth stabbed her knife at the foot, crouching as she impaled the man in front of her. 

The man screamed and Byleth pressed the shotgun right at his chest, firing at point blank range. The impact tore through the man’s chest, scattering the buckshot on the men behind him. She heard two other men scream as she quickly reloaded the shotgun. As the first man fell, she aimed the shotgun and immediately fired at the nearest man, taking half his head off. Taking advantage of the men’s surprise, she quickly fired two more shots, taking three men down, before quickly ducking at the wall next to the door. 

“Six.” She whispered to herself. 

A second later and the men outside began shouting. 

She could hear the sound of a sniper rifle firing and a body falling. 

“Five.” She corrected, turning towards the two behind the couch, “Get ready, aim at the door. Shoot on my mark.” 

She didn’t wait for them to acknowledge her order, aiming the shotgun on the ground and lowering her body until her knees were pressed against the floor. 

She listened at the incoming footstep, calculating the distance just like her dad taught her then finally, “Now!” 

She immediately heard a shot, hitting the man who was just a foot away from the home on the chest. 

“Four.” She counted. 

She heard another shot a second later, too early for a second shot. 

Only one of them shot immediately. 

That was fine. 

She already knew what she would do if no one listened to her in the first place. 

She used the shots’ momentum to kick the man off, shooting at the door while maintaining her cover. She managed to clip another man on the shoulder who howled in painful rage. He took a few steps back and Claude finished the job. 

“Three.”

The remaining three men were better prepared and pulled their triggers as they rushed to the door, out of Claude’s range. Byleth rolled away from the barrage of fire while Dimitri and Edelgard provided cover fire from the sofa. One of the men was shot in the head by Edelgard with two well placed shots. 

One of the men rushed towards her, grabbing her by the ankle. The jacket fell from her shoulders as they struggle with the man on top of her managing to grab the shotgun. She stabbed him on the thigh at the same time his head jerked to the side, blood splattering her face. 

She turned towards the couch in time to see Dimitri running towards her as he fired three more shots at the man on top of her, two to the chest and one right in the middle of the neck. She stared at him as he grabbed the corpse by the neck and threw it off of her before asking her, “Are you alright?” 

She was about to reply when she heard Sothis shout, “The girl!” 

She acted on instinct, barely realizing that the last man was aiming his gun at Edelgard who was in the middle of reloading. She leaned on Dimitri, her chest pressed against his front, taking the spare handgun from his shoulder holster and aimed it at the remaining target. There was no time to aim properly. 

She let her instinct take over. 

_ “If you’re aiming to hurt or you have no time to aim, go for the chest. It’s a large target, easy to hit and the impact will be enough to buy you more time.”_

Her shot hit him on the shoulder, his gun going off and missing Edelgard’s head by an inch. The man screamed in rage and Edelgard fired two shots. One shot hit him right in his right eye while the other shot hit him below the nose. 

The last man fell with a thud. All three of them were breathing hard, adrenaline coursing through their veins. She moved away from Dimitri, returning his spare handgun to his holster as their eyes meet.

Then she heard more shots coming from behind the house. She immediately grabbed the discarded shotgun as she said, “Dad.” 

That one word broke whatever spell Dimitri was caught on and he immediately ran after her as she rushed outside. Edelgard followed the two of them as well. 

When they got outside, her dad was firing at a car driving away. One of his shots pierced the back window and they all watch as the car swerved violently. Her dad wasted no time, firing at the tires this time and the car tumbled, flying into the air for a second before smacking back into the ground with the hood of the car smashing into the pavement. 

“Holy shit.” Claude exclaimed, catching up to them in time to see the fate of the car, “Did that really just happened?” 

“I… I think so.” Edelgard replied, too dumbstrucked by what she saw. 

Claude threw Dimitri’s jacket at him which he had grabbed on his way out as he tried to get a closer look at the car. Dimitri caught it on reflex, still staring at the upside down car. 

Just… who the hell are these two? 

Byleth didn’t look fazed at all, walking towards her dad. Her dad turned towards her and asked, “You okay?” 

Byleth nodded and her dad frowned, wiping the blood on her cheek. Knowing her dad, she informed him immediately, “Not mine.” 

“That’s good.” Her dad nodded at her before turning towards the three dumbstruck trespassers. Byleth tilted her head when she noticed that Claude wasn’t dumbstruck at all. Instead, he was looking at her dad (or was he looking at her?) with a smile on his face but with eyes gleaming with… 

Interest? 

“That boy… is definitely strange.” Sothis whispered, “He looks like he wants to interrogate us. Or worse… dissect us.” 

Byleth wanted to roll her eyes at Sothis’ over the top imagination but… she did have a point. Byleth had spent her entire life being alert and trusting her instincts haven’t failed her yet. 

“Now then, let’s get back to business, shall we?” Her dad aimed his gun at Dimitri who was in the middle and in front of the two, forcing Byleth’s attention back at him. 

“What?! No!” Sothis cried out, “Stop this madness!” 

Byleth stepped in front of Dimitri, right in front of her dad’s gun, to the surprise of everyone. 

“Byleth, step aside.” 

“No.” Byleth replied in an emotionless tone, echoing Sothis’ hissing “No”. 

“He saved my life.” Byleth informed her dad, making him sigh. 

“Of course he did. He’s part of the Faerghus branch. Hell, he’s a fucking Blaiddyd. That’s what they do.” He rolled his eyes as he continued, “You order them to jump, they do fucking somersaults.” 

Before anyone else could comment, a motorcycle rushed between them, heading straight to Byleth. Dimitri moved to grab Byleth but Byleth stepped back at the same time, dodging the incoming motorcycle. They collided, making Byleth lose her balance and Dimitri grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her upright. 

Her dad cursed, berating himself for being to focused on the three brats and his daughter’s impulsive action to hear the motorcycle before it was too late. 

No. 

The motorcycle was quiet the entire ride. 

Just like the two cars driving towards them, boxing them against their house. 

The driver of the motorcycle stopped in front of Edelgard and Claude and the driver placed one of her feet on the floor as she aimed an Uzi right at him. 

The doors of the two cars open as a loud booming voice stated, “Nobody moves! You’ll all regret the day you decided to go against the Seiros Fami- Is that?! Jeralt?!” 

Her dad groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he lowered his other arm, “Why did it have to be him?” 

“It’s me! Alois!” The suddenly cheerful man dressed in the same suit as the three but with a white shirt underneath walked towards her dad and wrapped him in a bear hug, “You’re alive!” 

Noticing that Alois knew the man who had been aiming his gun at Dimitri and was now talking to him like they were old friends, the driver on the motorcycle holstered the Uzi and turned off the engine of the motorcycle. The driver took the helmet off before turning towards Claude and Edelgard as she asked, “You two alright?” 

“Oh, it was just getting good. But I got to say, you guys have impeccable timing.” Claude sighed with a smile, making Edelgard roll her eyes at Claude’s theatrics. 

“We’re all alright. Thank you for asking, Shamir.” Edelgard replied. 

“I’m sure his princeliness is more than okay though.” Claude jokingly commented and both women turned their attention towards their companion who was near enough for them to hear their conversation. 

Byleth had already regained her balance and nodded at Dimitri as she said, “Thank you.” 

“No, it should be me that should say thank you.” Dimitri stopped, realizing she was still just clad in a short nightgown, and wrapped his jacket around her. He kept his eyes trained to her face as he continued, “You helped us even after knowing who we were. Not many people would do such a thing.” 

“Who you are?” She repeated, tilting her head slightly. 

“The Seiros Family.” Sothis reminded her with a resigned sigh. 

“Oh, yes. The Seiros Family.” Byleth repeated. 

Dimitri’s lips curled into a chagrined smile as he nodded, “Yes. The Seiros Family…” 

“To be more exact, we’re part of their branch families.” Claude clarified as he and the two women walked towards Byleth and Dimitri. 

“Please forgive our late introduction.” Edelgard placed her hand on her chest as she introduced herself, “I am Edelgard von Hresvelg and I am the current heir of the Adrestia branch family.” 

“Ah, yes.” Dimitri bowed slightly as he introduced himself, “And I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd from the Faerghus branch family. As your father have deduced, my late father was the previous head of our branch family and I… Well, my uncle is the current head of the Faerghus branch.” 

“Name’s Claude von Riegan of the Leicester branch. Riegan is the leader of the Leicester branch so I guess you can say I’m heir to the Leicester branch too.” Claude took off his jacket and draped it over his left shoulder while he had his sniper rifle leaning against his right side. 

Byleth only knew the Seiros family by reputation. Her dad refused to do any work for them but made sure Byleth knew enough so she can steer clear of them if needed. Hell, he only took jobs set in Fodlan when there was no other choice. 

The Seiros family was a crime syndicate family that controlled Fodlan city in the shadows. Other than the elusive main branch, the syndicate have 3 well known branches. 

Adrestia branch family is the branch that controls all legal activities of the Seiros family. Adrestia branch family is also the most well known of the branch family and it is rumored they have connections to both the political and the entertainment world. Faerghus branch family is the branch that makes sure all _ other _ activities of the Seiros family are running smoothly. Faerghus branch family is the sword and shield of the Seiros family and well known to be loyal to the main family with rumors suggesting that their loyalty reaches fanaticism. The Leicester branch family is the branch that does everything and anything for the main branch. They are comprised of different factions that formed an alliance to become as big as the other two branches and, as such, their specialties and job description differ from faction to faction. 

Byleth glanced at her dad and saw him staring at her grimly as he and the man named Alois walked towards them. Byleth returned her attention towards the three, noticing that the motorcycle woman didn’t introduce herself. 

“Rude.” Sothis harrumphed. 

“Can we get the name of the lovely badass who saved us?” Claude grinned as he added, “Asking for my good friend Dimitri here, of course.” 

“Claude!” 

That finally got Byleth’s attention. The three heirs seemed to be waiting for her to introduce herself, the two young men more so than Edelgard it seems, so she said, “I’m-” 

“Lady Sothis?!” Alois’ interruption stopped her words and everyone turned towards Alois. Dimitri and Edelgard looked like someone had said they were talking to a ghost while Claude looked like his Christmas gift came in early. 

“Wait! What?!” Sothis shouted, mirroring Byleth’s feelings, “How does he know my name?!” 


	2. Silver Threads (MAIN)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth learns about the infamous Seiros Family and about the family she didn’t know she had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've posted two chapters today. This is the main chapter set in Byleth's POV.  
The 3rd chapter is actually extra stories set in the same time as this chapter but it's written on other people's POV. They're part of the story but I separated them because I wanted the MAIN chapters to be set in Byleth's POV while the other POVs will be in the PARALOGUES chapters.  
I've changed it to 6 chapters because of Silver Thread's paralogues.  
If this trend continues, this fic might become 10 chapters (5 main chapters + 5 paralogues chapters - which means Chapter 1 may get paralogues if you guys have any requests for paralogue ideas, leave as a comment and I might write them)  
...... we shall see XD

Byleth wasn’t sure how things came to this. Before she knew what was happening, Alois had almost kidnapped her, saying she must see Lady Rhea at once. The one thing that stopped him from actually physically dragging Byleth to the car had been her mean left hook (that the cheerful older man just laughed and complemented, what a weird person) and her dad’s promise they will come with them in their own car. Now, they were driving in between the two cars Alois came with. The one in front of them had Alois while the car behind them had the three heirs. The motorcycle woman stayed behind to, according to her own words, “clean up”. When the three got in, Claude had winked at her, Dimitri had stared at her for a moment which was a direct contrast of how Edelgard had not even looked at her. 

“Such strange reactions if I do say so myself.” Sothis commented from behind her, her arms crossed. She was obviously still peeved over not getting an immediate answer. Sothis leaned forward, sticking her head between the space separating the driver and passenger seat as she complained, “Of course I’m peeved! You should be too!” 

Byleth rested her temple against the window, keeping quiet as Sothis looked ready to start hurling insults but she did not manage to start because her dad quietly said, “I know you have a lot of questions.” 

“A lot is not enough to cover it.” Sothis snarked, turning her ire at the man who can’t even see her. 

Her dad sighed, turning the wheel as the car in front of them turned right. She could see that they were entering Fodlan city already. It took her a second to realize that they were entering through the red light district, most commonly known as Gautier district by the locals. She turned her attention back to her dad when he continued, “I never wanted you to return here, to return to the family.” 

“Dad…” Byleth stared at him as she asked, “Who am I?” 

Her dad took a deep breath before answering, “Your birth name is Sothis Seiros. Your mother was… she was Rhea’s younger sister.” 

“My name… is Sothis.” Byleth repeated. The confirmation sounded right yet wrong at the same time. Sothis remained quiet, leaning against the back seat. 

“Twenty years ago, a fire broke out in the main family’s mansion. I lied and said you died in the fire.” Her dad wiped his lips with his hand before continuing, “While Rhea was distraught over your death, I left the family with you.” 

“Why?” Byleth asked. 

Her dad kept quiet for a few seconds, looking as if he was looking for the right words to use, before replying, “Being a Seiros is dangerous… I wanted to keep you safe.” 

“I’m a hired killer.” Byleth reminded him, channeling Sothis’ snarky tone. 

He chuckled before commenting, “Being a hired killer is better than being a Seiros, kid. Anonymity protected us. Becoming a Seiros paints a huge target on your back.” 

The car stopped in front of a silver gate. It took a few seconds before the gate automatically opened and they drove inside. Byleth watched as they drove thru a long driveway, noticing the beautiful garden with a small gazebo on one side and what appeared to be a large open space with tables and chairs. She saw a pond and what may be a greenhouse as well as they parked in front of a huge Victorian style mansion with two floors and a large veranda overlooking the entire estate. 

Garreg Mach… the heavily secured mansion of the Seiros family… 

There was a woman with long green hair on the veranda, staring at the cars with an expressionless mask on her face. 

Her dad turned off the car’s engine as he stared at the woman, “Rhea.” 

Byleth stared at the woman on the veranda as Sothis commented out loud, “So that’s Lady Rhea, the current head of the Seiros family and…” 

Sothis’ voice softened as she continued, “Our aunt…” 

Her dad turned towards her and called out softly, “Byleth…” 

Byleth turned her attention towards her dad and listened as he said seriously, “No matter what happens, I just want you to know… I love you. Okay, kid?” 

Byleth kept quiet, staring at her dad as he continued, “And I’ll always be on your side. Whatever you choose, whatever you want, I’ll do everything in my power to make it come true.” 

Byleth didn’t know what to say. She… never wanted anything before. Her entire life, she just went through the motions. She did what her dad or Sothis told her to do. 

Her dad looked like he was waiting for a reply but she didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, Alois knocked at the driver’s window and her dad sighed. He opened the driver’s door and got out. Before she could open the passenger’s door, Dimitri had opened it for her. 

“Such a gentleman.” Sothis commented in her usual condescending tone that Byleth ignored, getting off the car. The night was colder in Fodlan than it was in their home in Albinea and she didn’t have time to change. Hell, she didn’t even have time to put on her contacts or a pair of slippers at the very least. The pavement was freezing. She wrapped the borrowed jacket tightly around her, nodding at Dimitri silently. She turned to look back at the veranda and saw the woman staring at her. Byleth kept her eyes at her as Dimitri escorted her to the front porch where the others were already waiting. 

When they went inside, her dad moved towards her side, placing his hand on Byleth’s back. That seemed to be Dimitri’s cue to back away and he bowed slightly before walking slower so she and her dad could walk ahead of him. She noticed that Alois was in front while the three heirs walked behind her. 

They went up to the second floor and inside the large double doors leading to large room with a long rectangular table in the middle. She noticed that there was a veranda ahead and realized that it would probably lead to the huge veranda she saw outside. Rhea, the head of the family, was sitting on the head of the table. She wore an elegant white dress with long sleeves made of lace. Her hair flowed freely, hiding her ears. On the chair immediately to her left was a stern looking older man with darker green hair, staring at them. He wore the same black suit as everyone else with a white shirt underneath. 

Rhea smiled gently at them as she greeted, “It is so nice to see you once more, Jeralt.” 

Her dad bowed as he greeted back, “It has been a long time, Rhea.” 

Her dad nodded at the stern man as he continued, “Seteth.” 

The man named Seteth narrowed his eyes at her dad but kept quiet as Rhea stood, “Too long if I am to be honest. We have missed you.” 

Her dad remained quiet and Rhea turned her attention to Byleth. She stared at her quietly with such intensity it almost made Byleth squirm. 

Sothis glared at her from behind Byleth. 

“Forgive my forwardness, child, but I must ask…” She walked towards Byleth and her dad’s breath hitched when Rhea tucked a few strands of Byleth’s hair behind her ear, “This… isn’t your real hair color, is it?” 

Byleth glanced at her dad who tensely nodded at her silent question. She nodded as she replied, “No, ma'am.” 

Rhea’s lips curved into a pleased smile and Seteth stood as he asked, “Then you wouldn’t say no to using this dye remover, would you?” 

He walked towards Byleth and offered some sort of bottle as he continued to glare at her dad. Byleth glanced at her dad once more but he remained still, silently telling her it’s her choice. Seeing no harm in doing what the stern man asked, she nodded and took the bottle from Seteth. She turned around and looked at the other people in the room, noticing that the other men with Alois back in the car wasn’t in the room at all. 

Alois looked like he was close to hyperventilating and trying not to smile or cry… maybe both. Claude was staring at her as if she was a gift he wanted to unwrap immediately. Edelgard was rigid as a statue but kept her eyes to the floor. Dimitri was just as rigid as Edelgard but he stared at her with an impressive blank mask. 

Seeing him as the best option, she approached him and asked, “Where’s the nearest bathroom?” 

Dimitri looked surprised at the question but he gave her a polite smile as he replied, “It would be my pleasure to escort you.” 

Dimitri turned to look at Rhea who nodded, “Please do, Dimitri.” 

Dimitri nodded and turned, hand outstretched towards the door. When Byleth walked forward, he opened the door and waited for Byleth to get out of the room before following her outside. While Dimitri closed the door behind him, Byleth noticed a young woman with vibrant green hair peeking her head from behind a pillar (“This place has pillars!” Sothis hissed ludicrously). When their eyes met, the young woman hid behind the pillar… which was pretty useless since Byleth could still see her puffy black skirt. 

“Miss?” Dimitri called out, and Byleth turned to face him. He was a few steps ahead of her. 

“This way.” Dimitri said before he started walking, Byleth trailing behind him as he led her to a long hallway. Dimitri opened the third door and waited for Byleth to go in first. He turned on the lights and closed the door while Byleth looked around. It looked like a guest room of some sort, elegant but without any personal items… empty. 

Dimitri walked towards the only other door in the room while Byleth was busy staring at a small painting of some sort of forest. She heard a click and she assumed Dimitri has turned on the light or something, she didn’t bother to look. There was a white lion with blue mane hiding under the foliage in the painting that caught her attention. 

She heard a door opened and finally turned towards the sound as Dimitri stepped back from the opened door. She walked inside the bathroom. She noticed there was no light switch inside but she did see a light switch next to the door before she entered. 

… the light switch of this bathroom was outside… 

Why? 

Sothis and Byleth glanced at each other ludicrously, neither of them having any answer to that at all. 

There was a blue towel on the rack that looked clean enough. She removed her jacket and Dimitri cleared his throat. 

She turned around, tilting her head when she saw Dimitri had turned his back, “I-I will get you clean clothes. P-please take your time.” 

Not even waiting for her to reply, Dimitri briskly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Both her and Sothis stared at the door for a few moments before Sothis commented, “He’s adorable, isn’t he?” 

Byleth snorted while she placed the jacket on the dry sink, knowing Sothis meant it as an insult, and closed the bathroom door, making sure to lock it. She took off her nightgown and underwear, letting both fall to the floor. She stopped next to the shower stall, deciding then and there to take a shower instead of just removing the dye. 

“He did say to take our time.” Sothis said in a sing-song tone. 

Byleth turned the shower on with a hand outstretched, making Sothis yelp at the sudden blast of ice cold water. She kept her hand outstretched for a few moments under the blast of icy cold water. That seemed to be the default setting of the shower. 

“Who decided to set it to death by freezing?!” Sothis growled at Byleth who shrugged as she adjusted the temperature. While she waited for the temperature to change, she inspected the bottle Seteth gave her. It didn’t seem to be tampered so she opened it and squirted an ample amount to her hand. There was no need to mix like the few dye removers she knew, just dab it into the hair then wash it off. The label stated it was fast acting. 

“Looks like someone is impatient.” Sothis snorted, sitting on the toilet, while Byleth covered her entire hair with the foamy liquid. Sothis began swinging her legs as she commented, “If this damages your hair, we’ll shave his entire head.” 

Sothis smirked mischievously, “Eyebrows and all.” 

Byleth rolled her eyes at Sothis’ vicious streak but quietly agreed. She may not have any strong connection with the color of the dye but she and Sothis did like her hair. Once she was sure that her entire hair was covered in foamy nose hurting liquid, she stepped inside the shower stall, sliding the glass door close to make sure water didn’t get out of the stall, and closed her eyes as she let the water wash it all away. She massaged her hair gently, finally opening her eyes when Sothis told her it was okay now. Her hair wasn’t as long as Sothis’ but it was long enough that she could see that the dye remover did as it said on the label. She stared at her natural light green hair for a few seconds, noting that it was lighter than Seteth’s and Rhea’s. 

She wondered if that meant anything. 

She grabbed the shampoo on the small counter inside the stall and used it on her hair. A dye remover like the one she just used was obviously a strong one so she wanted to make sure to lessen the damage as much as possible. 

Sothis remained sitting on the toilet outside the shower stall but she complained, “Ugh. There’s no conditioner! Whoever is in charge of this guest room should be sent to the stock for a week!” 

Byleth silently commented she was sure there was no stock here as she made sure to cover her entire hair with the shampoo while Sothis continued, “Then we make one! Oh! Let’s order that adorable kid to get us one. I’m sure he’ll be happy to get us one.” 

Byleth only rolled her eyes at Sothis who seemed pleased with her own idea. Letting the water rinse the shampoo off her hair. She sighed softly and grabbed the bar of soap inside the small counter. She rubbed it against her wet hands to make foams, noticing the subtle smell of lemon, and quickly lathered her body. While she rinsed the soap off, Sothis asked off-handedly, “Are you going to brush your teeth?” 

Byleth remembered there was a toothbrush inside a blue plastic cup on the sink but decided against it. Sothis nodded at her choice, “Good. It looks like it’s been used. Seriously, whoever keeps this guest room clean needs to get fired. Immediately.” 

Once she felt clean enough, Byleth turned off the water and slid the glass door open. She grabbed the blue towel on the rack and focused on rinsing the excess water out of her hair first. Once she was satisfied with her hair’s condition, she patted her body dry quickly before staring at her underwear, wondering if she should wear it again or if Dimitri included underwear on the change of clothes he went to get for her. 

Sothis snorted at her for that thought. 

Byleth sighed and wrapped the towel around her body and opened the door leading to the bedroom. She stepped out of the bathroom and looked around. No one was inside the room but there were a few pieces of folded article of clothing on the edge of the bed with a pair of simple black flats. She walked towards it. It did include undergarments. 

Sothis and Byleth stared at the matching pair of lacy white bra and underwear silently. Sothis grinned as she asked, “So… think he picked them himself?” 

Byleth snorted. He probably got a maid or someone to get him the change of clothes. 

Sothis sighed in disappointment, “That’s what most probably happened but that’s boring.” 

Byleth rolled her eyes and dropped the towel on the floor. She put on the underwear quickly but had to frown when the bra was a size too small. 

Sothis grinned as she suggested, “He’s probably just outside the door. Just ask him to get you a bigger one.” 

Byleth glared at her as she stubbornly clipped the bra on. Sothis shrugged as she commented nonchalantly, “Go ahead and suffer.” 

Bring it. She’s had worse. 

The change of clothes on the bed turned out to be a white long sleeved buttoned shirt with frills on each side and a black high waist skirt with the hem made of lace that ended by her knees. She raised an eyebrow at the white stockings included and turned to Sothis, silently asking if she should wear them. 

It wasn’t exactly her style and she honestly think it was unnecessary. 

Sothis shrugged and didn’t give any comment at all. 

Byleth sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled the stockings over one leg before doing the same on the other. She stood as she pulled it up until it snugly fitted over her waist. After that, she wore the shirt, buttoning it till the last button by her neck. The waistline was elastic so Byleth slipped it on without problem and tucked the shirt underneath it. She smoothed the skirt and looked at Sothis who was standing in front of the body mirror pressed against one of the walls next to a closet. Sothis nodded her approval of Byleth’s appearance while Byleth combed her hair using her fingers. She continued to comb her hair while she slid her feet into the black flats. Sothis sat on one of the chairs, watching Byleth, as she commented, “Now you look like you could be a member of the Seiros family.” 

Byleth was pretty sure that was the point which made Sothis snort. 

She went back to the bathroom and picked up her discarded clothes. She rolled them into a ball and grabbed the borrowed jacket as well before raising her head towards the wall to turn off the li- 

Then she remembered the switch was outside. 

She shook her head then walked out of the bathroom, flicking the light switch off along the way. 

She briefly wondered if she should turn off the lights in the bedroom before leaving but shrugged and just turned it off anyway. Byleth opened the door and found Dimitri with another man right in front of the door. They both stopped whatever quiet conversation they were having at the sound of the door opening. The man with Dimitri was older than him with skin darker than Claude and hair as white as fresh snow. 

Byleth guessed that he was most probably from the Duscur district in Fodlan. 

“That’s strange.” Sothis commented from behind Byleth, “I heard the Seiros family murdered most of the native resident of the Duscur district in retaliation of some major hit or something. Why would they have someone like him as part of the family?” 

The three of them remained quiet for a second, unsure on how to proceed, until Sothis kicked Byleth’s leg. Both young men seemed to be staring at her hair. The older of the two had a blank expression but Dimitri looked like he was in awe over something.

"Sorry for the wait.” Byleth said, just to appease Sothis who had always hated awkward silences. She handed him his jacket back as she added, “Thank you for lending this to me.” 

“Oh, that’s quite alright.” Dimitri immediately replied politely as he took the jacket from her. He noticed that she was holding her balled up clothes and suggested, “You can give your clothes to Dedue, if you’d like. He can give it to one of the maids so it can be cleaned.” 

Dedue bowed slightly as he offered his hand, “I would be happy to assist you, miss.” 

“Thank you.” Byleth nodded as she handed her balled up clothes to the taller man. 

Dimitri waited for Dedue to take Byleth’s clothes before asking, “Shall we return to the meeting room?” 

Byleth nodded which Dimitri copied before turning to Dedue as he said in an authoritative but not unkind tone, “We’ll continue our conversation later.” 

“Of course, sir.” Dedue replied with a bow. He turned his attention to Byleth and bowed once more, “Miss.” 

Byleth nodded at him, unsure if that was the proper protocol. Dimitri outstretched his hand towards the hallway they came from and Byleth took a few steps forward. 

When she passed him, she heard Dimitri took a breath then he made a choking sound that made her turn to look at him. Dimitri’s cheeks were red as he stuttered, “Di- I mean- I-” 

“Sir?” Dedue called out which seemed to calm Dimitri down. 

Dimitri took a deep breath, winced as if he regretted doing it, then asked, “Did you, perhaps, use the soap in the bathroom?” 

“Yes, I did. I did get a bit dirt earlier so I thought I might as well take a shower.” Byleth nodded, tilting her head as she asked, “Was I not supposed to?”

“And blood.” Sothis added in a disgusted tone, “Maybe even a few brain matter, who knows. You did shoot him on the head.” 

“No.” Dimitri immediately squeaked, making Byleth raise an eyebrow. He cleared his throat before calmly clarifying, “I mean, it’s quite alright. You smell nice, miss.” 

Dedue covered his mouth with his right hand and made a sound that Byleth could only describe as an aborted chuckle pretending to be a cough. Dimitri’s ears turned red as he seemed to have realized what he said while Sothis started laughing loudly from behind him. 

Byleth’s lips twitched but she kept them from actually smiling, not wanting to embarrass the adorable blond any further so she simply, “Thank you. Shall we get going?” 

“Yes, let’s.” Dimitri replied with a nod which sounded like “Yes, please” to her. He looked like he was waiting for her so Byleth walked ahead. Instead of leading her, Dimitri walked behind her which annoyed Sothis. 

After they passed the second door with Dimitri still behind her, Byleth slowed her steps so Dimitri can catch up but Dimitri slowed down instead, which annoyed Sothis further. Sothis glared at Byleth in warning and Byleth knew she needed to do something fast or Sothis will raise hell (which she will only be the one to hear).

Byleth stopped walking and turned to face Dimitri who didn’t expect her to stop so suddenly, almost colliding with her. Byleth crossed her arms as she asked, “Why are you walking behind me?” 

Dimitri blinked at her for a moment, obviously confused by her question. He sounded hesitant when he replied, “It’s the proper etiquette with someone of your position, miss.” 

“My position…” Byleth repeated, raising an eyebrow. 

Dimitri nodded as he clarified, “As a member of the main family and the next head of the family.” 

Sothis’ eyes widened as Byleth repeated, “Next head?” 

Dimitri tilted his head a bit as he explained, “Yes. The late Lady Sothis, I mean, you are Lady Rhea’s niece. Seteth, who had been next in line before your return, is her cousin, which means you should be higher in the hierarchy than him.” 

Sothis and Byleth stared at Dimitri silently, unsure how to process what he just dropped on them. Dimitri fidgeted under their stare (or, as far as he was concerned, Byleth’s stare) but remained quiet. 

Sothis closed her eyes, placed one hand on her waist while pinching the bridge of her nose with her other hand as she said, “Questioning this child is useless. That is mainly his conjecture. No one in their right mind would pick an obvious stranger with no knowledge of how this whole operation work over a person whose been in the family since birth. Come on. Let’s get this all straightened out.” 

Byleth nodded at Sothis which confused Dimitri but he quietly followed Byleth as she walked back to the meeting room. 

… in a respectable walking speed, no matter what everyone else would say otherwise… 

Dimitri walked faster as they approached the meeting room, obviously wanting to open the door for Byleth but she beat him to it, opening it herself and entering the room. Dimitri entered after her and closed the door behind him, staying behind her. 

“You took your time-” Seteth started in an annoyed tone but didn’t continue when he saw Byleth. 

Everyone was sitting when they came in and they all turned to look at her. Edelgard was staring at her with wide eyes. Claude’s grin was so wide and he looked ready to go to her and ask something (a lot of things). Alois choked and began crying. Seteth started to shake. Rhea was staring at her with such intensity Byleth had to look away. Byleth finally turned to look at her dad who gave him a resigned sad smile. 

She knew why he looked sad. He once told her she had the same hair color as her mother. It was one of the few things he had told her about her late mother. 

Rhea stood and walked towards her. Byleth had to stop herself from flinching back when Rhea placed her hands on her cheeks gently. She could feel Rhea’s hands slightly trembling against her cheeks and she whispered, “Welcome home, my dear Sothis.” 

“Byleth.” She corrected, causing Rhea to blink at her. She gently grabbed Rhea’s hands and pulled them away from her cheeks. Rhea didn’t stop her but she gripped her hands instead as she clarified, “My name is Byleth.” 

Her dad gave her a fond smile while Rhea stared at her silently for a few seconds before nodding, a gentle smile forming on her face as she said, “Of course. Anything you want, So-” 

Rhea closed her eyes and nodded. She opened her eyes and continued, “Byleth.” 

Byleth wasn’t sure if she was supposed to thank her or not so she just nodded back. Rhea seemed to take that as a good sign and she ordered, “Leave us.” 

Byleth assumed she wasn’t included in that because Rhea kept a firm but gentle grip on her. Alois, Edelgard and Claude stood and began walking towards the door. Claude purposely walked near Byleth and Rhea. He seemed to sniff, blink then grin at Byleth but didn’t say anything as he continued to walk out. Claude rested his arm on Dimitri’s shoulder on his way, forcing Dimitri to follow him, as he said cheerfully, “I’ll fill you in on everything you miss while in the presence of our dear Lady Byleth.” 

Alois opened the door and waited for the three heirs were out of the room. Alois stepped out of the room, hand on the door knob. He looked like he wanted to say something as he stared at Byleth but he only bowed and closed the door. 

Once the door closed, Rhea guided her to the table, making her sit on Rhea’s right side. She continued to grip Byleth’s hands and stared at her silently with eyes shining from the tears threatening to fall. Realizing Rhea wasn’t going to talk, Seteth cleared his throat. He looked like he was about to cry as well but he informed Byleth, “Jeralt has informed us of what you have been up to all this time.” 

Seteth glanced at the silent man next to Byleth before continuing, “And we will forever be grateful-” 

Her dad snorted but quickly coughed to hide it. 

“That he has protected and cared for you all this time.” Seteth continued as if nothing happened, “We have all agreed that Jeralt will return to his previous post as head of security-” 

Byleth turned towards her dad who nodded at her silent question. Seteth continued once Byleth returned her attention to him, “And you will take your proper place as the next head-” 

“WHAT?!” Sothis shouted from behind Byleth. 

“Of course, you will need to be…” Seteth paused, looking for the right word to use before finally deciding, “... educated on your future responsibilities.” 

“Do we not have a say on this?!” Sothis hissed. 

“But we can do that slowly. We would like to expose you to our family, of course. Have someone guide you thru it all. We would be happy to do it, of course, but-” Seteth glanced at Rhea before continuing, “This is quite overwhelming for all of us. We’ve spent these years-” 

Seteth paused to sniff and wipe his eyes. He cleared his throat and continued, “We spent these years apart. We don’t want to overwhelm you.” 

The last two words seemed to be directed at Rhea. 

Or Byleth hoped it was directed at Rhea. 

She felt it would be too awkward and rude to ask if she could let go of her hands. Even Sothis remained quiet on that front and she was obviously not liking the hand holding. 

“We simply hope you will join us for a weekly dinner? Or perhaps afternoon tea if you think dinner may be too much for now.” Seteth quickly added. 

Byleth was unsure how she should reply. They were practically strangers to one another. She never knew she had a family other than her dad and they spent all these years mourning her. Sothis remained quiet behind her and a glance at her dad showed her that he was letting her decide on how to proceed. 

The undeniable fact was that everyone had decided she was joining the family (or returning, whichever was more accurate) and she was set to be the next head (mad, they were all mad). She had no say on that front. At all. 

It was just too much and she agreed that it would not be for the best for them to spend too much time with one another. They needed time to… adjust to their new reality.

“Tea… would be nice.” Byleth finally agreed. It was the shorter of the two (hopefully) and was more casual (or as casual as it could probably be, she dearly hope Rhea wouldn’t spend the entire time holding her hands next time). 

“That’s…” Seteth gave a sigh of relief, “That’s wonderful. Thank you, Sot- I mean… Byleth.” 

Byleth kept quiet and the two other green haired people in the room seemed to be fine with that. Her dad rubbed his forehead as he reminded Seteth, “The guide?” 

“Oh, yes!” Seteth exclaimed, a bit embarrassed he had forgotten about it. He cleared his throat before explaining, “You do need a guide to aid you. We decided it would be best if you accompanied one of the heirs as they go through their daily life for a while. They have various responsibilities that would be good for you to experience but not as overwhelming as what the current head of their branch have.” 

“So…” Seteth placed his hands on the table as he asked, “Do you have a preference on which heir you’d like to accompany?” 

Byleth blinked. 

Was he asking her to pick now? 

Judging by how Seteth looked like he was waiting for a reply, yes. Yes, he wanted her to pick now. 

Fortunately, she was saved by answering the first person who came into her mind by the door opening loudly with a bang. They all turned towards the door and Rhea looked like she was ready to murder whoever had entered. 

“Father!” The young woman who was hiding behind the pillar earlier walked into the room. Rhea’s face softened when she noticed who it was. 

Seteth sternly scolded, “Flayn, you know you’re not allowed in these business meetings-” 

“I do not care about that!” The young woman named Flayn briskly walked towards Byleth and stopped right in front of her, “Are you truly Sothis?” 

Rhea reluctantly let go of her hands which made Byleth turn to stare at her. Rhea smiled at her and nodded. Byleth didn’t know what that nod meant but it if meant freedom for her hands, she’ll take it. She returned her attention to Flayn and explained, “Sothis is apparently my birth name but I go by Byleth.” 

“Byleth.” Flayn repeated. She nodded and repeated once more, “Byleth.” 

Byleth was not sure what Flayn was doing but the younger woman smiled at her and grabbed her hands (was it a Seiros thing? Dear god, she hoped Seteth wouldn’t grab her hands later) as she happily greeted, “It is so nice to finally meet you, Byleth. I am Flayn, Seteth’s daughter. He might look stern but he’s quite the teddy bear underneath, I assure you.” 

“Flayn!” Seteth scolded while Rhea softly chuckled. 

“Oh, we will have so much fun together!” Flayn cheerfully stated, ignoring Seteth completely, “I can show you around! Oh! I can keep you company as well if you’d like! There’s this cute little restaurant near here. They make the most delicious fish pie-” 

“Flayn!” Seteth cut her off. 

Fish… pie? 

“Byleth will not be staying with us.” Seteth continued, cutting off whatever Flayn wanted to say, “We have decided it would be best if she stays with one of the heirs instead. We do not want to overwhelm her and we all need time to adjust.” 

Flayn pursed her lips while Seteth gently added, “I know you want to get to know her and spend time with her but this is all new to her. We all need to take a step back and use baby steps. We’ll have weekly tea with Byleth and go from there.” 

Father and daughter stared at one another in silence, reminding Byleth how she and her dad would have silent conversation often as well. After a minute (Byleth counted because it’s not like she had anything else to do), Flayn finally nodded and turned towards Byleth, “Very well. I shall concede with my father and aunt’s decision. However I would very much like to visit you sometime if that will be alright with you?” 

Flayn seemed like a nice girl so Byleth replied, “That’s fine with me.” 

“Oh thank you!” Flayn let go of her hands so she can clap in joy, Byleth hid her hands under the table to be safe, making Sothis scoff. Flayn didn’t seem to mind and she asked, “So who shall you be going with? Edelgard? We could go to the opera! Oh, maybe Dimitri? Fhirdiad is so beautiful at night! If you’re going with Claude, we can go to the beach!” 

And now they’re back to Byleth’s problem. 

“Is something the matter?” Flayn asked, tilting her head when she noticed Byleth winced. 

“I actually do not know who I want to go with.” Byleth admitted, turning to look at Seteth, “I have only met the three of them just a few hours ago.” 

“Ah, I see.” Seteth nodded, glancing at her dad before continuing, “We can suggest a choice for you if you’d-” 

“No.” Rhea finally spoke, making Sothis jump at the sudden sound. 

“She spoke!” Sothis condescendingly stated the obvious. 

Rhea smiled at Byleth as she said, “This must be your choice, not ours. We might have a preference but, in the end, it must be you who choose.” 

“If it is alright to you, how about Flayn escorts you to the three heirs so you may talk to them for a bit?” Rhea suggested instead, “A few minutes may not be enough to fully understand a person but it will be enough to give you an idea on who you think you’d get along with most.” 

“It really doesn’t.” Sothis said in a sing-song tone. 

It’s not like they have any other idea. It was better than just picking right here, right now. Sothis groaned but relented, “Fine. You have a point.” 

Byleth nodded and replied, “I would like to talk to them for a bit.” 

Rhea’s smile grew, obviously pleased by Byleth’s agreement, and Flayn cheerfully said, “I will be happy to escort you to them! I have an idea where they might be!” 

Flayn skipped towards the door, stopping in front of the open door, and turned towards Byleth, “Come, Byleth. We can go see Edelgard first.” 

Byleth turned towards her dad who nodded and said, “Go ahead, kid. Rhea and I still have some things to talk about.” 

Seteth cleared his throat. Her dad gave her an impish smile as he added, “And Seteth have some words for me too.” 

Sothis snorted while Byleth simply nodded in understanding. She stood, placed her hand on her dad’s shoulder and squeezed. Her dad covered her hand and squeezed back before dropping it. Byleth turned to face Rhea and Seteth and wondered if she should say “it’s nice to meet you”? Maybe “it’s good to see you again” even if she doesn’t remember either of them? But she’ll probably be back to tell them which one she would choose so she just nodded at them, making Sothis snort at her awkwardness. She followed Flayn out of the room but before they could walk away, Seteth ordered, “Flayn, close the door!” 

Flayn rolled her eyes but obeyed and closed the door. She smiled at Byleth and led her downstairs, all the while talking about the various people currently in the mansion and random facts or explanation of certain parts of the mansion or past events that happened on specific rooms. She didn’t seem to mind that Byleth remained quiet and simply listened which was nice. They went to another hallway and entered what seemed to be some sort of sitting room with one wall made of large windows. The sun has already started to rise, providing natural light to the entire room. Edelgard was by the windows, standing next to a tall man with dark hair. He wore the same suit and tie as everyone but had a red shirt like Edelgard and he had a stack of folders tucked under his arm. They seemed to have been conversing about the folder in Edelgard’s hands but they both stopped and raised their head to look at Flayn and Byleth when Flayn had opened the door. Edelgard blinked, seemingly surprised at their appearance. 

“Our apologies for the disturbance, Edelgard, Hubert.” Flayn said for Byleth, smiling gently at the two. 

“No apologies are necessary, Lady Flayn, Lady… Byleth…” Edelgard seemed unsure about Byleth’s name. 

“Just Byleth is fine.” She said as she walked towards the two. She turned towards Flayn who stayed outside. 

Flayn smiled and said, “I shall wait for you in the next room so you can talk privately. Just come to the next room once you’re done.” 

Byleth wasn’t sure why she needed the privacy but she nodded nonetheless. Flayn gave a small wave before walking away. She turned to face the two once more and noticed that Edelgard’s lips had curved into a small smile while Hubert was staring at her with narrowed eyes, “I’m afraid I cannot call you by your name alone. As you are the next head, it is only proper to give the respect that comes with such a position.” 

Byleth frowned but remained quiet while Edelgard continued, “Now, how may the Adrestia branch be of service?” 

“Seteth and Rhea wants me to accompany one of the heirs to…” Byleth tucked a stray hair behind her ear as she continued, “... gain insights on the working of the family.” 

“Yes, we have been informed of it earlier.” Edelgard nodded, her eyes trained at the green hair Byleth had tucked as she asked, “Have you decided to observe the Adrestia branch?” 

“I haven’t decided yet.” Byleth admitted. 

“Oh?” Edelgard’s stare returned to her face. 

“I would like to talk to you about it for a bit.” Byleth continued. 

“I see.” Edelgard rested one of her hands on her hips as she handed the folder back to Hubert who silently took it, his eyes trained on Byleth the entire time. 

“God, he is so creepy.” Sothis whispered as she waved her hands in front of Hubert, “Blink, you weird vampire. Blink!” 

“Gathering as much intel as possible is paramount in ensuring we make the best choice.” Edelgard nodded in agreement to what she just said (did she think that was Byleth’s plan?) before she explained, “Well then, our branch is in charge of various businesses for the family. Our main headquarters and the place I reside in is in the Enbarr district. I’m afraid that you might be bored if you do choose to observe us. I mainly look over reports about the expenses and profits of the businesses we own. We do however have the famous Mittelfrank Opera Company in Enbarr. If you’d like to see them, we can easily arrange that. Of course, we would be happy to arrange it for you regardless if you choose to observe us or not.” 

Sothis crossed her arms as she commented, “That’s not really what we meant when we said talk…” 

“May I give my honest opinion, Lady Byleth?” Edelgard asked permission before Byleth could voice out Sothis’ comment. Byleth nodded silently and Edelgard admitted, “I believe you would gain more insight if you observe either the Faerghus or the Leicester branch. Those branches deal with…” 

Edelgard paused for a second before continuing, “... the unsavory part of this life. If you truly wish to gain information about the family, I believe you should see what the main family prefers to keep hidden.” 

“Lady Edelgard.” Hubert spoke in clear warning. 

Edelgard glanced at Hubert before addressing Byleth, “Forgive me, Lady Byleth, but I must return to these reports. I do hope I was able to help you in your choice.” 

Sothis rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she snarked, “Sure, you did.” 

“Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Edelgard.” Byleth said instead and nodded at Hubert as she added, “Hubert.” 

Hubert gave a small smirk and they both bowed as Edelgard said, “We are pleased to be of service to the main family.” 

Byleth wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she just said awkwardly, “Uh, sure.” 

Sothis snorted behind her but Byleth paid her no attention as she walked out of the room. Just like she said, Flayn was waiting in the next room and didn’t ask how it went which Byleth was grateful for. 

“Horrible. Absolutely horrible. It was a total failure.” Sothis commented regardless. 

Flayn led her out of the mansion and towards the open grassy field with various chairs and tables. She stopped at the entrance and Byleth heard Claude shout from one of the tables, waving at her, “Hey, Milady!” 

That caused the other people to turn towards her direction which she did not like. 

“Please go on ahead, Byleth.” Flayn said, smiling at her. 

“You’re not coming with me?” Byleth asked, tilting her head slightly. 

“Aunt Rhea wishes for you to make this decision yourself. I know these people and, as such, I would have opinions that may affect your choice.” Flayn explained sweetly, “Also, I am a member of the main family and, as such, they may change their attitude if I am with you.” 

“But… isn’t that unfair to you? You’ll just be standing here by yourself.” Byleth furrowed her brows as she stared at Flayn. 

“Oh, you’re so sweet.” Flayn giggled before continuing, “It is quite alright. I shall be over there, by the pond.” 

Byleth looked at where Flayn was pointing as she explained, “The pond is filled with a lot of different fishes and, I assure you, I will be fine by myself just watching them.” 

“She likes fish, noted.” Sothis deadpanned and Byleth could only nod, unsure what else to do with that information. 

Flayn seemed to have taken it as her cue to leave so she left Byleth alone. 

… who was still being stared at by everyone… 

“Let’s just get this over with.” Sothis sighed and Byleth silently agreed, walking towards Claude’s table. When she reached him, she noticed he was having tea with a pink haired young woman who looked as young as Claude. She was wearing a sleeveless short black dress underneath a yellow short-sleeved jacket. She completed her attire with a pair of knee high black boots with gold buttons at the end. Her hair was styled to a classic twintail style using black ribbons and she wore a pair of stylish dangling gold earrings with a small diamond shape stone at the end. She smiled at Byleth as Claude stood, pulling an empty chair between him and the pink-haired woman for Byleth with a grin. She rested her chin on top of her hands while her elbows pressed against the table as she commented, “Oh, thank goodness the clothes I picked out for you fit.” 

Byleth sat on the offered seat and stared at the other young woman while Claude asked as he sat back, “You picked the clothes, Hilda?” 

The young woman called Hilda looked at Claude with the fondness Byleth has seen people give to a dumb but cherished pet as she replied, “Of course, silly. Did you think Dimitri would have chosen such a cute outfit?” 

Claude shrugged as he grinned, “Why not? Dimitri has a lot of secret talents.” 

“I’m sure he does.” Hilda turned to face Byleth as she continued, “That boy is such a silly goose. He hunted me down, I swear I thought he was going to say someone I knew was dead with how serious he looked, then he asked me to get you some clothes. When I ask him what you look like or what your sizes are, he got so red and I couldn’t understand half of what he was saying.” 

Claude chuckled and shook his head, “Oh, Dimitri. You poor adorable mess…” 

“Oh, it was absolutely adorable but not really useful, you know, ‘cause I had to guess your sizes.” Hilda rolled her eyes as she admitted while Claude sipped his tea, “He was no use at all once I asked that. Did I do okay? Nothing too tight or too baggy, I hope?” 

“The bra is a size smaller than my usual.” Byleth admitted in a flat tone, making Sothis smack her own face and Claude snort then cough as the tea went down the wrong pipe. 

“Oh, yeah, I kinda thought so when I finally saw you.” Hilda kept her attention to Byleth as she handed Claude a box of tissue. Claude coughed as he took a few pieces of tissue from the box, cleaning the slight mess he made while Hilda suggested, “I can try and find you a better fit, if you’d like?” 

“No, it’s fine. I can manage.” Byleth replied and added, “But thank you for the offer.” 

“It’s no problem.” Hilda leaned towards Byleth as she asked, “So, are you coming home with us?” 

That caught Claude’s attention and he turned to face Byleth as well. Byleth shook her head as she admitted, “I haven’t decided yet.” 

“Oh, goodie.” Hilda leaned back, grinning at Claude as she sweetly said, “Go on, leader. Woo her to our side. Don’t mess up, okay?”

Claude chuckled at Hilda’s antics as he interlocked his fingers and placed them on the table, “Thanks for the support, Hilda. I feel the love, truly.” 

Hilda gave him a flying kiss before sipping her tea while Claude smiled at Byleth, “We’d love to show you our branch. There’s a lot of interesting people there and…” 

Claude leaned towards Byleth. He whispered with a smirk as he raised his hands so that his elbows rested against the table, “I would like to get to know you better, milady.” 

Byleth stared at him silently and Claude didn’t back away from her stare. After a few seconds, Byleth asked, “Why?” 

“Because you’re interesting.” Claude admitted as he rested his cheek against his intertwined fingers, “The mysterious heir of the powerful Seiros family returns from the dead, you’re a puzzle I’d very much like to solve.” 

Byleth hummed and stared at Claude. He wasn’t lying, that much Byleth was sure. 

But he wasn’t telling the whole truth as well. 

Byleth leaned back and said, “I’ll take that into consideration.” 

“Consideration?” Claude chuckled as he teased, “Oh, now, that’s a bit harsh, leaving me in the dark without the sweet yes I want to hear.” 

Both Byleth and Hilda rolled their eyes and Byleth stood as she said, “It was nice meeting you, Hilda.” 

“You too…” Hilda hummed as she asked, “What should I call you? I can’t call you by your first name only, my brother will be annoying if he found out. Lady Byleth?” 

“Milady.” Claude suggested. 

“No way. That’s too cheesy.” Hilda said with a chuckle. 

“Dimitri called me miss if you prefer.” Byleth suggested. 

“Miss…” Hilda tested it and shrugged as she said, “It’s better than calling you Lady Byleth, that’s for sure. So stuffy.” 

Byleth preferred to be called by her name instead but it seemed no one wanted to do call her that so she just said, “Please excuse me. Flayn is waiting for me.” 

“Okay, bye, miss.” Hilda waved at her while Claude winked as he said, “I’ll be waiting, milady.” 

Byleth stared at Claude with a raised eyebrow for a second before turning around and walking away. She could hear Hilda mock Claude, “Congratulations, Claude. You totally messed up our chance, that’s for sure.” 

“What? Why would you think that?” 

Byleth couldn’t help but shout to them without looking back, “You didn’t offer me tea!” 

Hilda groaned and Byleth heard a smack and Claude yelping. 

Sothis snickered as she followed Byleth to where Flayn was, watching the various fishes in the pond. When she noticed Byleth was next to her, she asked, “Did you have fun chatting with Claude and Hilda?” 

“Claude didn’t offer me tea.” Byleth deadpanned. 

Flayn dramatically gasped and placed her hand on her chest as she exaggerated, “How inconsiderate of him!” 

Flayn giggled and Byleth’s lips curved into a small smile. They started to walk towards the greenhouse which was a few feet away from the pond. Flayn stopped at the entrance of the greenhouse and Byleth could see Dimitri and Dedue inside, on their knees in front of one of the bed flowers. Byleth turned to face Flayn and the younger woman said, “I shall leave you here then, Byleth. It was so nice to finally meet you and I so adore our short time together.” 

“You’re leaving?” Byleth asked. 

“Oh yes, I shall get my father so he can come here instead.” Flayn explained with a sweet smile, “That way, you don’t have to return to that stuffy meeting room and you can tell him here instead. I’m sure Aunt Rhea and Uncle Jeralt wouldn’t mind.” 

Byleth didn’t even think about that and said, “Thank you.” 

“Oh, think nothing of it.” Flayn grabbed her hand with both of her smaller hands and said, “Just promise me I can come visit you wherever you might reside in and we can spend time again?” 

“I’d like that.” Byleth nodded, making Flayn’s smile grow brighter. 

“I look forward to it!” Flayn let go of her hand and started walking away. She stopped after a few feet and turned to wave at Byleth. Byleth waved back and watched Flayn turn around and walk back to the mansion. 

Once Byleth was sure Flayn wasn’t going to turn around once more, she entered the greenhouse and walked towards the two men tending the flower bed. The light in the greenhouse caused her shadow to appear in front of the two and they turned to face her. Dimitri’s eyes widened and he quickly stood, making Byleth step back so he doesn’t accidentally hit her. Dimitri looked shocked as he said, “You’re here.” 

“Oh this will be entertaining.” Sothis looked so amused as she watched from the side. 

“I am.” Byleth replied, not even a bit sorry that she was actively teasing him. 

“I mean… Does that mean you’d accompany us back to Fhirdiad?” Dimitri clarified quickly, patting his dirt covered hands on his pants. Byleth looked at him, tilting her head slightly. He had taken off his tie and his jacket was nowhere to be found. He had also rolled the sleeves of his buttoned shirt until they were by his elbows and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. 

“I haven’t decided yet.” Byleth admitted. 

“Oh.” Dimitri sounded disappointed but quickly asked with a polite smile, “Is there anything I can help you with then?” 

“I wanted to talk to you.” Byleth inwardly groaned at having to find the right words to explain what she wanted. She did not want a repeat of Edelgard’s misunderstanding, “Rhea and Seteth wants me to pick one of you to be my… guide? But it doesn’t feel right to just pick one without trying to get to know you three first.” 

“A guide, huh.” Dimitri chuckled softly as he confessed, “From the way Claude explained it to me, it sounded more like they want you to pick a tutor.” 

“That is actually more accurate.” Byleth nodded, relieved that this doesn’t seem to be a repeat of her disastrous attempt with Edelgard. 

“There’s really not much to know about me personally.” Dimitri said with the same polite smile he’s pasted on his face since he learned that Byleth hasn’t decided yet, “If I am to be honest, I would completely understand if you decided to pick Claude or Edelgard.” 

Byleth glanced at Dedue, wondering why he wasn’t joining the conversation but the taller man kept tending to the flowers. She did notice his body position looked like he was listening in. Byleth returned her attention back at Dimitri and crossed her left arm while she rested the elbow of her right arm against it. She curled her right hand to a fist and rested her cheek against it as she asked, “Why?” 

Dimitri looked at the floor as he admitted, “Our branch deals with a lot of unsavory people and… practices. It is our duty and we take pride in ensuring that the family’s values and rules are implemented. Edelgard would be able to show you the beauty of Enbarr and many lucrative businesses the family have. Claude would most definitely show you the most interesting places in Fodlan and I’m sure you’d be happy there. I…” 

“I can’t promise to show you either of those.” Dimitri raised his head to stare at Byleth as continued, “But if you do choose me, I promise to tell you everything you wish to know as long as I know the answer. Even if I don’t, I’ll find you someone who does.” 

Dimitri’s eyes narrowed and Byleth could see the wild animal Dimitri keeps inside in his eyes as he promised, “You might have to accompany us in dangerous situations but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I can promise you that at the very least.” 

“Why?” Byleth asked, lowering her hands as she took a step forward, wanting to see the wildness in Dimitri’s eyes closer, “Why would you do that much for me? Because I am a Seiros?” 

Dimitri blinked at the question and the wildness in his eyes disappeared. 

No. 

Not disappeared. 

Repressed. 

Byleth didn’t step back though and waited for Dimitri to reply, “We are sworn to protect the main family, of course, but I will admit my intention is more personal than that. To be completely honest… The way you moved last night, I was… mesmerized. I couldn’t keep my eyes away from your form.” 

Now it was Byleth’s turn to blink. She could feel her cheeks reddened while Sothis crackled loudly at the side. Byleth took a step back and looked at the ground as she said unsurely, “Oh. Thank you?” 

Dimitri’s eyes widened as he realized what he had just said and his cheeks turned just as red as Byleth’s. He stuttered as he tried to salvage the situation, “I mean, oh god, I didn’t mean to imply that I was staring at you while you were wearing that- I meant that-” 

They heard a knock coming from the entrance of the green house and they both turned around. Her dad was leaning against the entrance of the green house with Seteth just outside. Her dad nodded at Byleth before saying, “Sorry to interrupt. Flayn said you were ready to choose?” 

Byleth turned to look at Dimitri who looked like he wanted to dig a hole on one of the flower beds and lie there. Her lips twitched into an aborted smile that made Dimitri’s breath hitch. Byleth turned towards her dad and nodded, “Yes, I’ve made my decision.” 

“Okay then.” Her dad stepped out of the green house and walked towards Seteth. 

Byleth turned towards Dimitri once more and said, “Thank you, Dimitri.” 

Dimitri could only give out a confused “You’re welcome?” but Byleth didn’t say anything else and simply walked out the green house, Sothis’ loud crackling following her. 

Seteth and her dad were waiting a few feet away from the green house, just far enough that anyone in the greenhouse would not be able to hear them. Seteth waited until she was right next to her dad before asking, “Have you decided?” 

Her dad raised an eyebrow when her lips curled into a small smile as she answered, “I have.” 

It took a few seconds before Seteth realized that she wasn’t going to say anything else so he sighed before asking, “And? Who have you chosen?” 

“I’d like to stay with Dimitri.” Byleth replied, making her dad sigh in resignation for some reason while Seteth looked with approval. 

“A fine choice. He would have been my suggestion.” Seteth admitted. Seeing Byleth tilt her head in a silent question, he explained, “The Faerghus branch has always been a dependable branch and the Blaiddyds has always been one of the most loyal members in our family. I am sure he will do all he can to keep you safe.” 

“He said the same thing.” Byleth commented. 

“Did he now?” Seteth asked, raising an eyebrow. He regained a stoic expression as he continued, “Well, other than Dimitri himself, Faerghus branch deals with the less enticing part of our activities. I do believe it would be better if you see for yourself everything we do. Only then, can you start planning for the future of our family.” 

“Oh, no pressure.” Sothis snarked on her dad’s other side. 

When Byleth didn’t say anything to his explanation, Seteth informed her instead, “I shall inform Rhea of your choice. Please talk to Dimitri and tell him of your decision. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed.” 

“I’m sure he will be.” Her dad mumbled, making Sothis snicker.

“Please do not say goodbye to Rhea. It would be best if she does not see you leave for now.” Seteth’s voice grew softer as he asked, “Please be patient with her. She took your… disappearance the worst.” 

At that, he glared at her dad who only glared back at him. When they kept glaring at each other, Byleth finally said, “I understand.” 

Her voice seemed to have stopped the stand-off between the two and Seteth nodded, “Thank you. I’ll see you… next week for tea.” 

“Yeah.” Byleth agreed and Seteth walked away from them, going back to the mansion. Both father and daughter watched Seteth in silence as he entered the mansion. Once he had closed the door behind him, Byleth and her dad turned to look at each other. 

“So, you chose Faerghus.” Her dad stated, not sounding surprising at all.

She nodded. 

Her dad chuckled humorlessly before commenting, “I spent all these years trying to keep you away from all of these and everything falls apart the moment a Blaiddyd appeared.” 

“He was the one who crashed their car into our apple tree.” Byleth reminded him which made him snort. 

“Do you… hate them?” Byleth asked, tilting her head slightly. 

Her dad chuckled, shaking his head. His smile turned wistfully as he admitted, “I was a member of the Faerghus branch family. Grew up with the kid’s father actually. Lambert is… was…” 

Her dad rubbed his hand over his face before continuing, “Shit. I can’t believe he’s actually dead. I always thought that dumbass would outlast me, actually.” 

Her dad crossed his arms before redirecting the conversation, “If the kid’s anything like Lambert, you’ll be okay. He’ll keep you safe.” 

“Just…” Her dad stopped for a moment, his eyes darkening as he warned, “Don’t drop your guard, Byleth. This family? These branches? They’re full of assholes looking to advance their own agendas using any means necessary. Understand?” 

Byleth stared at her dad for a moment before asking, “Even Dimitri?” 

“If he’s anything like his father…” He nodded and stated darkly, “Especially him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Highlights of this chapter:  
Discussing with eisneRiegan what Dimitri would smell like. She’s the one who suggested lemon. I was so close to making it chamomile, guys. So close. This is closely followed by our disccusion what the color of the underwear is and what kink it represents.
> 
> The main family’s family tree:  
So in the main game, Seteth was also a child of Sothis but, in this fic, he’s Rhea’s cousin. It’s simply so Byleth would be the heir instead of Seteth.
> 
> Concerning Edelgard’s sudden ‘almost’ cold attitude towards Byleth:  
In the game, Edelgard treats Byleth as a talented interesting third party. She hates the church and, as far as she knows during that time, Byleth was just someone Rhea took a shine too and a valuable asset with their crest and experience on the battlefield. In this fic, she knows that Byleth is part of the main family and is the heir to the Seiros family so, as far as she’s concerned, Byleth is an enemy from the get go.


	3. Silver Thread (PARALOGUE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra stories set in Chapter 2: Silver Threads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've posted two chapters today. This is the PARALOGUE chapter of Silver Thread (Ch2)  
These are extra stories set in Chapter 2. Please read that first before this

* * *

Paralogue: A Deer, An Eagle and A Lion Are Inside A Car

(scene set: during the car scene)

“So, you two think that was really Lady Sothis?” Claude asked, leaning his side against the car door, watching the two other heirs for their reaction. Dimitri looked like he was trying his hardest to stop from shaking, his posture straight while his hands were clenched hard on his lap, while Edelgard was the very picture of elegant calm composure, her legs closed while she stared at the window. 

“We cannot be sure.” Edelgard replied calmly but Claude noted a hint of coldness in her tone as she continued, “Lady Sothis was proclaimed dead 20 years ago and she did not have the distinct green hair of the main family. Alois could be mistaken.”

“It’s easy to dye hair.” Claude countered, resting his right arm on the top of the car seat and waved dismissively, “Plus, she did have green eyes so that’s half of the distinct main family already.” 

Edelgard finally turned towards Claude, crossing her left leg over her right. She crossed her arms as she said, “Regardless, we will know soon enough. Alois have surely called ahead and the entire main family would want to meet this supposedly Lady Sothis immediately.” 

“That’s true.” Claude rested his cheek against the palm of his right hand as he commented, “I do hope we’ll be there when that happens though.” 

Edelgard scoffed before commenting, “I’m sure you’ll find a way to listen in.” 

Claude chuckled and gave a simple shrug, not bothering to confirm or deny Edelgard’s accusation. Instead, the Leicester heir turned to look at the quiet man in between him and Edelgard. Claude stared at Dimitri’s serious expression and asked, “What do you think, Dimitri? Think she’s the dead Lady Sothis come back to life or just a case of mistaken identity?” 

“If she is Lady Sothis…” Dimitri’s fists were clenched so hard that Claude was worried he may be hurting himself but kept quiet as Dimitri continued to speak, “Then it is our duty to protect her.” 

“It is your duty, not ours.” Edelgard corrected in a controlled tone, “That is Faerghus’ duty, not Adrestia.” 

Edelgard turned to stare at Dimitri coldly as she continued, “You’re the guard _ dog_, not me.”

* * *

Paralogue: The Scent of Lemony Delight and Boyish Purity

(scene set: during the main family only meeting)

Dimitri and Claude stayed in front of the meeting room’s door to talk about what Dimitri had missed, with Claude’s arm around his shoulder (knowing Claude, it’s most definitely so Dimitri couldn’t escape), while Edelgard and Alois had already left. Alois was most definitely telling everyone he see that the lost (presumed dead) Lady Sothis has come home. Edelgard had nodded at them before she left. Dimitri assumed she would be meeting with Hubert to get an update of all the activities Adrestria was in charge of. After he was informed of Lady Rhea’s plan (she would be with one of them. Dear god. What if she chose him? What if she _ didn’t _choose him?), Claude pulled Dimitri closer, took a dramatic sniff, then whispered with a grin on his face, “So, tell me, your princeliness. Why does our dear recently found Lady Byleth smell like you?” 

Dimitri blushed as he whispered back, “It’s not what you think.” 

Claude’s grin grew as he asked, “Oh? And what am I thinking?” 

Dimitri began to explain, “I took her to my room-” 

“Bold.” Claude commented, clearly enjoying the situation, “I didn’t expect that from you. I supposed years of exposure to Sylvain does have a negative effect on people.” 

Dimitri groaned and covered his face as he tried to correct the misunderstanding, “I did not do anything unwelcomed towards her!” 

“It’s only unwelcomed if both parties didn’t agree to it.” Claude casually stated, leaning his temple against Dimitri’s, obviously relishing his friend’s growing embarrassment, “And I’m sure if she didn’t agree to anything, she would have kicked your ass so hard it would be embarrassing…” 

“Which may be your thing, not judging.” Claude couldn’t help but add just for his entertainment. 

“Claude!” Dimitri looked so scandalous that Claude couldn’t help but laugh out loud. 

“Is it true?” They heard a sweet voice asked from behind them, cutting Claude’s laughter. Claude and Dimitri turned around. Flayn didn’t wait for them to greet her as she asked, “Is it true that Sothis is alive?” 

Dimitri smiled at Flayn and nodded, “Yes. She is currently talking to Lady Rhea and Seteth-” 

Flayn didn’t wait for Dimitri to finish and ran towards the door leading to the meeting room. Knowing that Seteth would definitely not approve if he saw them lingering outside the meeting room, Claude dragged Dimitri away as fast as he could as he whispered, “Retreat!” 

Thank god Dimitri had some self-preservation in him as he followed Claude immediately. They were out of sight when they heard the door open loudly with a bang.

* * *

Paralogue: An Inescapable Fate

(scene set: While Byleth tells Seteth her decision):

Dimitri knelt next to Dedue who had never stopped tending the flower bed in front of him. Dimitri covered his face with his hands as he groaned, “She will never choose me now.” 

Dedue waited quietly for a few seconds before Dimitri corrected himself, “I meant us. She won’t choose our branch now.” 

“There is still a chance, sir.” Dedue said. 

“I told her I was staring at her the entire night! While she was wearing a short nightgown!” Dimitri wailed, his hands muffling his agony. Dimitri lowered his hands as he despaired, “Oh god, I sound like Sylvain!”

“It was not as bad as you assume it is, sir.” 

“Did you not listen to me?” Dimitri covered his face once more, “Oh god. It would have been better if I just give her a knife and be done with it.” 

“She seemed like the type of person who would appreciate a well crafted knife.” Dedue commented. 

Dimitri groaned, “I will not hear the end of this if Sylvain ever finds out. Oh god. Or Felix. Ingrid would definitely have a field day over this as well.” 

“I’m sure everyone will be delighted by this.” Dedue admitted. 

Dimitri lowered his hands once more and stared at Dedue seriously as he ordered, “Swear to me, Dedue, that you will not speak of this to anyone. Swear to me.”

Dedue finally turned to stare at Dimitri as he swore, “I swear not to speak of this to anyone.” 

“Thank you, my friend.” Dimitri sighed in relief. 

“But I must confess that I have recorded the entire thing and have already sent it to Mercedes.” Dedue added seriously. 

“What?” Dimitri’s voice turned a higher pitch, “Why?” 

“Hilda apparently told Sylvain who told Mercedes about your disastrous mission of getting Miss some clothes. Mercedes wanted me to learn more so I gave her a summary of what happened outside your room.” Dedue explained, “She was not satisfied with my summary so I decided to record your next interaction instead in case it ends in a disaster.” 

Dimitri stared at Dedue in dumb silence, too surprised by the fact that Dedue spoke a lot in the first place. Dedue waited patiently for Dimitri to reboot. Once Dimitri felt like he could speak, he told Dedue, “You know that, by now, Mercedes have shared that to Annette who will definitely share it to Ingrid who will share it to Felix and Felix will no doubt send it to everyone he knows just to spit me. Especially to Sylvain!” 

Dedue kept quiet for a few seconds before stating in a calm tone, “What Mercedes does with the record is her own actions and I ask that it does not reflect on me…” 

“... sir.” Dedue added after a beat. 

Dimitri felt his phone vibrating against his leg and sighed in resignation. The vibration continued, pretty much announcing that it was an insistent call. Dimitri closed his eyes and took out his phone, accepting the call and greeting without even checking the caller id, “Hello, Sylvain.” 

Dedue could clearly hear Sylvain’s hysterical laughter coming from the phone.


	4. White Greetings (MAIN)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth learns about the family through the activities of the Faerghus branch and meets Dimitri’s close allies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [Meichiri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meichiri/pseuds/Meichiri) for seeing my miss about CQC and suggesting I update the spacing format!

Byleth returned to the greenhouse and found Dimitri standing next to Dedue, with his right hand covering his eyes as he listened to whoever was talking on the phone he had pressed against his left ear. He looked so stressed and resigned that Byleth guessed he was receiving very grim news. 

Dedue noticed her and stood. He bowed slightly as he greeted, “Miss.” 

That one word caused Dimitri to suddenly lower his hand and stare at Byleth. Byleth simply stared at him and waited for Dimitri to say something. 

“You’re back.” Dimitri finally said, sounding so surprised Sothis started to cackle from behind Byleth. 

“Yes, I am.” Byleth replied with a nod at the same time the person on the phone shouted, _ “No way!”_

“Wh-why?” Dimitri asked, looking as if he couldn’t believe Byleth had come back in the first place. 

Sothis grinned at her and Byleth knew her imaginary friend (“Rude!”) wanted her to tease Dimitri but Byleth felt bad for him so she simply replied, much to Sothis’ disappointment, “I’ve decided to go with you.” 

“You picked me?” Dimitri looked so confused and the last word was said in a high pitch that Sothis had turned to look at Byleth while Byleth heard the person on the phone shout, _ “WHAT?!!”_

“Are we sure about this one?” Sothis snarked and Byleth flicked her hand at Sothis’ thigh, making her yelp. Byleth covered her act by continuing the movement and make it appear that she just wanted to tuck her hair behind her ear. 

Dimitri stared at her as she confirmed, “Yes, I would like to accompany you back to Fhirdiad… if that is okay with you.” 

“Nothing would make me happier!” Dimitri immediately replied, making the person on the phone laugh hysterically before shouting to someone on the other line, _ “Oh my god! Hey! Ingrid! You have to listen to this!”_

Byleth didn’t know what happened next because Dimitri ended the call. Byleth raised an eyebrow as she asked, “Wasn’t that an important call?” 

“Huh?” Dimitri blinked. It took a second before he seemed to realize what Byleth meant. His phone began to vibrate and he immediately rejected the call as he replied with a smile, “Please do not concern yourself with it. It was just one of my friends being… himself.” 

His phone started vibrating once more and he quickly rejected the call as he continued to smile at Byleth as he said, “I am truly happy that you have chosen me, Miss. I swear on my-” 

His phone started to vibrate and was quickly silenced once more as Dimitri continued without pause, “- life and my honor as a Blaiddyd that I will not let you down.” 

Another vibration caused Dimitri to immediately pressed the reject button but the vibration continued. Noticing that it wasn’t coming from his phone, Dimitri and Byleth turned towards Dedue who patted his hands on his pants before taking out his phone. He accepted the call and pressed the accept button. Dedue pressed his phone against his ear as he greeted, “Sir.” 

The person on the other line seemed to have said something that made Dedue nod and reply, “Yes, sir. Apologies. Sir Dimitri was preoccupied. I shall pass it to him now.” 

Dedue offered his phone to Dimitri as he informed him, “It’s Sir Rodrigue.” 

“Oh!” Dimitri took the phone but didn’t raise it. Instead he turned back to Byleth and apologized, “Please forgive me, Miss. I must take this call.” 

“It’s alright. I understand.” Byleth replied, nodding at him. Dimitri gave her a grateful smile before placing the phone against his ear. 

Dimitri began to walk out of the greenhouse as he talked to the person on the phone, “My apologies, Rodrigue. I accidentally rejected your call. I had assumed it was Sy-” 

Byleth could no longer hear him as he finally left the greenhouse. She stared at his back as he conversed softly with a man named Rodrigue just outside the greenhouse. 

“This one seems to want to speak to you.” Sothis told Byleth as she stared at Dedue with crossed arms. Byleth turned to face Dedue and tilted her head as a silent question. 

Dedue bowed as he said, “I would like to express my gratitude. Thank you for saving Sir Dimitri.” 

Dedue raised his head as he continued, “And… for choosing to accompany him back to Fhirdiad.” 

“There’s no need to thank me for last night.” Byleth stated in a matter-of-fact tone, “Dad ordered me to work with them to take out those men. That was all it was.” 

“Is that so.” Dedue stared at Byleth silently and Byleth stared back. 

Sothis glared at both of them, tapping her foot impatiently as they continued to stare at each other silently. 

“I. Am. Bored.” Sothis gritted, glaring at Byleth with crossed arms. Byleth remained silent much to Sothis’ frustration. 

“May I ask…” Dedue finally spoke, making Sothis sigh dramatically in relief, “Why did you choose Sir Dimitri?” 

“Hmm.” Byleth hummed, placing her hands behind her back as she tilted her head. That was a good question. 

Why did she choose Dimitri? 

She didn’t choose Edelgard because of how horrible her attempts to talk to her had failed. It was also true that she felt that Edelgard was… cold? Distant? Perhaps a mix of both which had been strange since she had been pleasant when they had first met. 

“And that vampire butler was creepy.” Sothis added. 

Claude, on the other hand… 

Honestly? She had liked Claude. There was something about the young man that was charming and entertaining. Hilda was easy to talk to as well. 

“Easier than vampire butler and Big and Scary over here at least.” Sothis snarked. 

She could see herself having fun with the two of them and she agreed with Dimitri’s opinion that Claude would most probably know the best and most interesting spots in Fodlan. His obvious interest with her was a bit unnerving but she knew she could take it. 

So why didn’t she pick Claude? 

Sothis stared at her, quiet for once. Byleth met her eyes and she could see that her oldest and only friend knew why. Sothis loved showing off. She loved telling Byleth was she knew. 

But this time, she kept quiet. 

Why? 

Sothis raised an eyebrow at her, a silent challenge. 

She wanted Byleth to answer it herself. 

“Honestly, I have no idea about any of these.” Byleth started, trying to find the right words to explain herself. She never talked about herself. Whenever she needed to talk to someone, she kept it short and to the point. She was great at lying, of course, it was a necessary skill in her line of work. But telling the truth about herself? There was just no reason to do it. The only person she interacted regularly other than Sothis (who didn’t count since she lived in Byleth’s head, “Rude!”) had been her dad and he knew Byleth well enough that words weren’t needed most of the time. 

“They just decided on their own that I should become the next head and told me to pick one of the three people I just met last night.” Byleth explained, turning her attention from Sothis to Dedue as she continued, “I don’t know any of them, even Dimitri. Our conversation a while ago was the longest I’ve talked to him.” 

“Choosing him…” Byleth tilted head silently as she admitted, “I chose him because I liked his answer the most. He listened to what I say and he understands what I’m trying to say. He looks at me and he sees me, not as Sothis or as this puzzle that needs to be solved, but as me.” 

Byleth’s lips curved to a small smile as she admitted, “And I like his honesty.” 

Dedue stared at her for a second before he asked, “And you are including the part where he admitted that he was staring at you the entire time you were… underdressed?” 

Sothis began cackling once more and Byleth’s smile grew bigger just an inch as she nodded, “That’s right. I found it quite adorable actually.” 

Dedue looked like he wanted to say something for a few seconds but he remained silent before letting out a resigned sigh. He didn’t say anything more and Byleth didn’t offer any topics as well. It may have been a minute or two (“AN ETERNITY!”) before Dimitri returned to the greenhouse, stopping next to Byleth and apologizing to her as he gave Dedue’s phone back, “Again, I would like to apologize for cutting our conversation short.” 

“What conversation?” Sothis snorted and Byleth stopped herself from rolling her eyes at Sothis’ comment. 

“That was Rodrigue, an old friend of mine and a member of the Faerghus branch.” Dimitri explained while Dedue put his phone back in his pocket. Dedue walked away from them as Dimitri continued, “It seems Seteth has informed my uncle, the head of our branch, about your decision and he has asked our immediate return to Fhirdiad.” 

Dedue returned with their jackets and ties. He stood behind Dimitri and waited while Dimitri unrolled the sleeves of his shirt, all the while continuing to speak to Byleth, “I know this is sudden but I’m afraid we must leave at once.” 

He buttoned the top of his shirt as he apologized, “I am truly sorry, Miss. I know you must want to talk to Sir Jeralt more-” 

“We’ve already talked.” Byleth cut him off, watching as Dedue assisted him in putting on the jacket. 

Behind her, Sothis leaned against her and whispered, “I need one.” 

“Dad and I have an understanding.” A silent one, anyway. 

“We need one.” Sothis corrected as she watched Dedue offer Dimitri’s tie to him. Dimitri took the tie and began to tie it without taking his eyes off Byleth, “Yes, perhaps something like a maid version of him. Cuter, less quiet.” 

Byleth slightly elbowed Sothis to stop her from going wild on her imagination once more as she said to Dimitri, “So I am ready to go if that is what you’re worried about.” 

Dimitri did look relieved when she said that and he admitted, “Oh, that’s good. But I know this is quite sudden. I do feel bad. I will make up for it later, I swear.” 

Byleth shrugged as she replied, “There’s really no need.” 

“I insist.” Dimitri pressed as he finished tying his tie. 

Byleth stared at the tie as she nodded, giving in, “Fine. Since you insist.” 

Dimitri’s lips curved into a pleased smile and he nodded, “Thank you.” 

Dimitri outstretched his hand towards the exit as he asked, “Shall we go?” 

Byleth stepped closer to Dimitri and hummed. Without explaining herself, she took Dimitri’s tie and redid his work, not paying attention to Dimitri’s “Mi-miss-Wha-” 

Satisfied that it was no longer crooked, Byleth stepped back and nodded, “Okay. Lead the way.” 

Dimitri’s cheeks were red and he stared at Byleth with a slightly open mouth. Dedue cleared his throat from behind Dimitri, already dressed in his own jacket and tie. The noise shook Dimitri out of whatever state he had been in and he nodded as he quickly said, “Y-yes, of course! Thank you!” 

Byleth blinked at the random words of gratitude but decided to humor him as she replied, “You’re welcome?” 

From behind her, Sothis cackled until she started gasping for breath. 

Dimitri led her out of the greenhouse and the three walked towards the driveway. Unlike their walk back to the meeting room, this time Dimitri walked beside Byleth while Dedue walked behind them. She noticed that Claude and Hilda were no longer by the open field when they passed by it but she did see Edelgard and Hubert staring at them from one of the first floor rooms as they drove off. Dimitri and Dedue didn’t seem to notice them and, since they didn’t wave, Byleth didn’t wave goodbye. During the walk and the drive to Fhirdiad, Dimitri gave a brief explanation of the Seiros family. 

As Byleth has already known, the Seiros family was the official name they use. In reality, the organization was divided into one main family that sits on the top and three branch families. The main family are mainly made of the actual Seiros family and their personal security team (“private lackeys, I presume.”) with Rhea Seiros as the current head. Seteth Seiros was her cousin and had been her right hand man since Rhea took the place as the head. Seteth was currently the main bridge between Rhea and the branch families. Apparently, Byleth’s mother, who had been Rhea’s younger sister, had been Leicester’s and Faerghus’ primary contact from the main family when she had been alive and Seteth had mainly dealt with the Adestria branch. 

She supposed that was how her parents’ met if her dad had been part of the Faerghus branch before being promoted to the main family’s head of security. 

The three branch families serve different purposes. Adrestia was the front of the family. They mainly deal with the legal activities pursued by the family and Dimitri did confirm that Adrestia does have connections to people of prominent political and/or entertainment background. They also employ the Aegir and Vestra law firm which the family uses whenever they need a law representative. Apparently, Hubert was a Vestra? (“Anyone he represents would automatically look like the bad guy!”) Everybody knew about the Aegir and Vestra law firm. They were known for taking the cases that people would assume were open and shut cases and get their client scott-free, sometimes even getting compensation. Another well known name under Adrestia was the Mittelfrank Opera Company. Apparently, the rising opera singer Dorothea Arnault was a close friend of Edelgard. 

The Leicester branch was a mixed bag of different smaller groups, usually actual families that have been in the organization for generations. Most of the Leicester branch were previous members of the Faerghus branch that broke away three generations ago due to some internal dispute so a lot of Faerghus’ activities overlap with the Leicester branch. The Leicester branch mainly dealt with ensuring the smooth transportation of certain ‘goods’ for both the family’s use and as a lucrative under the table business opportunity but one of their biggest operations was the continued surveillance of a rival criminal organization that controls Fodlan’s neighboring city of Almyra. The Goneril family, that apparently was Hilda’s family, were their main contact with the rival organization and had been the driving force that made the uneasy truce between the two rivals possible in the first place. No one has even seen the boss of the organization. They only know the boss was called ‘King’ and the only person they could connect to this mysterious King had been a man that was either named Nader or Nadel (Dimitri had heard conflicting information from the Leicester branch) who seemed to be the one calling the shots. 

“Is that why you seem more close to Claude than Edelgard?” Byleth asked Dimitri during the ride. 

Dimitri’s smile looked a bit sad when he replied, “Actually, I was closer to Edelgard than Claude when we were children but, well, Edelgard and I grew apart as we took more of an active role in our respective branches. Claude also took more responsibility for the Leicester branch, of course, but he’s always been a free spirit. Claude has a habit of appearing at random places in Fodlan for one reason or another and that includes our operations. I guess you can say, our bond was created from blood and fire.” 

Dimitri chuckled before he added, “I lost count of how many times he almost got shot at by us or by the other party because he appeared without any warning and decided to, as he usually say, 'check' things out.” 

Faerghus branch family was meant to be the shadow of the family. They deal with the unsavory businesses in the family and took care of anyone who was deemed dangerous by the main family. 

“I suppose it would be better if you see our operations personally.” Dimitri mused out loud as they got out of the car and into an underground car park. Byleth listened to Dimitri as he led her inside a condominium at the heart of Fhirdiad and entered the elevator at the end of underground parking, “The way we operate is a bit of a mess, if I am to be honest. We try to have a schedule of what we would do for the week but, well…” 

Dedue took out a card from the inside pocket of his jacket and pressed it against the card reader below the elevator panel. Byleth heard a ping before Dedue pushed the button named ‘20’ while Dimitri admitted, “Most of the time we would get a call to deal with something different without any prior notice.” 

The elevator began to ascend as Dimitri added, “We might even have to chase someone down or… well, something similar to last night. It would probably be dangerous.” 

“That’s fine.” Byleth commented as Sothis leaned against her, “I’m used to dangerous situations.” 

Dimitri stared at her silently for a few seconds and she could see that Dedue, who had remained right in front of the elevator panel, was staring at her using the elevator’s reflection. Dimitri tilted his head slightly as he asked, “Will it be alright if I ask why that is?” 

Byleth turned to stare at Dimitri, tilting her head slightly as well as she silently asked for clarification of Dimitri’s question. Dimitri seemed to have understood her as he clarified, “I mean, I have seen the way you and Sir Jeralt handled the situation last night. I know Sir Jeralt was head of security before he left but Claude didn’t say if he had explained what he and, by extension, you have been doing before you had returned.” 

“We’re hired killers.” Byleth stated, not bothering to mince her words which made Sothis sigh in resignation. Dimitri’s eyes widened at her words. 

“Hired… killers…” Dimitri repeated, his eyes narrowing. The elevator door opened with the chiming sound. 

“Welcome!” A man’s voice greeted them loudly. Before Byleth knew what was happening, an older blond man had ushered her out of the elevator with a hand pressed against her lower back. She could smell the cologne coming from the overly close man and she noticed the resemblance he had with Dimitri, “The Faerghus branch is honored to have you with us, Lady Sothis!” 

“This must be the uncle. I suppose he does look attractive but, ugh.” Sothis sounded annoyed from behind, “Tell him to back off or you’ll break his arm.” 

Byleth let the older man almost manhandle her inside a spacious office and she was forced to sit on a comfortable armchair in front of the desk as the man kept his hand on her shoulder, “Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Maybe something to eat?” 

Byleth was just about to grab the hand still on her shoulder and break it just as Sothis wanted but Dimitri was faster, grabbing his uncle’s hand from behind Byleth. Byleth turned to look at Dimitri and Sothis gasped as they saw the frightening glare Dimitri was giving his uncle as he said in a tone that could only be described as frozen anger, “Uncle, you’re overwhelming her.” 

Byleth could hear the cracking of bones as Dimitri’s grip tightened, “Please give her some space.” 

His uncle winced but didn’t cry out. Instead, he chuckled nervously before taking his hand off from Byleth’s shoulder. Once Dimitri let go, his uncle quickly backed away, hiding his hand behind him as he forced a cheerful tone, “Oh, yes. You’re right, as always, nephew. Forgive me, Lady Sothis.” 

“It has been a long time since we have seen a beauty such as you.” Dimitri’s uncle said, leering at Byleth. Byleth’s eyes narrowed and Sothis growled. She felt Dimitri placed a hand on the back of her chair, his fingers slightly grazing the back of her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to see that Dimitri was still glaring at his uncle. 

“If you do not smash this pig’s face to the wall, I will find a way to do it myself.” Sothis hissed with murder in her eyes, from behind her, right next to Dimitri. 

“Rufus.” An older man with wavy dark blue hair said in a polite tone belying his warning, “I am sure Jeralt would be happy to speak to you if he learns that you’ve been eyeing his daughter.” 

She didn't even notice him. He had been leaning against the wall right in her blind side. 

At that reminder, the man named Rufus visibly paled and he moved further away from Byleth. The dark blue haired man walked towards Byleth and offered his hand as he introduced himself, “It’s nice to finally meet you. Dimitri told me a lot about you-” 

“Rodrigue!” Dimitri shouted, sounding scandalized over something. 

The older man he had called Rodrigue only chuckled before continuing, “We are honored you have decided to stay with us, Miss… Byleth, am I correct that you prefer to be called that?” 

“Yes.” Byleth replied, standing and shaking Rodrigue’s offer hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Rodrigue.” 

Rodrigue stared at her as he gripped her hand firmly. Unlike Rufus who was wearing the gaudiest blue satin shirt she’s ever seen in her life under the typical black suit, Rodrigue's blue shirt was sky blue with a blue lion pin on his tie. 

It took a second before Byleth realized he wasn't just staring at her, he was staring at both her and Dimitri. 

"Rodrigue?" Dimitri called out and Rodrigue blinked before dropping her hand. 

"Forgive me, Miss Byleth." Rodrigue's lips curved into a wistful smile as he explained, "Seeing you with Dimitri behind you reminded me of the past. Lady Rhosyn used to have Lambert hovering behind her every time she visited our branch as well." 

Rodrigue chuckled as he added, "It drove Lambert crazy when she would go off with Jeralt without informing any of us." 

Rhosyn Seiros… her dad never said her name. The first time she had heard of her name had been when Dimitri explained the Seiros family during their ride. 

As far as Byleth was concerned, Rhosyn Seiros was a stranger she shared blood with and looked quite similar to. 

"You know my dad?" Byleth asked instead, noticing how he said her dad's name fondly. Rufus crossed his arms and scoffed but remained quiet. 

"Dimitri's father and I grew up with Jeralt." Rodrigue explained with a small smile on his face, "I had to bail those two out so many times I stopped counting after we reached high school." 

"You never told me you and father knew Sir Jeralt." Dimitri commented with slightly furrowed brows. 

Rodrigue's eyes softened as he admitted, "Lambert took Jeralt's disappearance hard. Everyone in Faerghus did." 

Rufus' glare at Rodrigue's back pretty much said 'not everyone'. Rodrigue smiled once more as he continued, "And we are happy that he is back. I'm sure before the end of the week, the entire Faerghus branch will be throwing a welcome back party for you and him." 

Before Byleth could say that her dad would be happy to have any reason to drink, someone knocked at the door. Rodrigue nodded as he said, "Just in time. Come in!" 

The door opened and a young blonde woman entered first. After her, a red haired young man entered, eyes immediately zoning in on Dimitri and his lips curved into the biggest grin Byleth has ever seen. Dimitri groaned and covered his face. 

"Miss Byleth, this is Ingrid." Rodrigue introduced the blonde woman first who bowed at her in greeting, "She's a valuable member of our branch. I would like her to accompany you whenever you join us in any of our activities." 

"Rodrigue, I have already promised Miss that I will stay by her side and protect her with my life." Dimitri cut off, looking perturbed by the idea of him not being enough. 

Ingrid swiftly elbowed her red haired companion just as he opened his mouth but she was obviously trying to stop herself from smiling. 

Rodrigue also looked amused by Dimitri's protests and he added, "And I know you will do a wonderful job, Dimitri, but there is nothing wrong with another pair of hands. Also, Ingrid is a certified pilot. This would mean you will have more options for your mode of transportation moving forward." 

"Plus-" the red haired man dodged Ingrid's elbow as he added, "you can't keep her safe when she goes to the bathroom or are you going to stay inside the woman's bathroom too, Dimitri?" 

"Sylvain!" Ingrid shouted, kicking his shin and earning a yelp from the red haired man. 

Byleth wondered if she should remind everyone that she could take care of herself. 

“Don’t. Let’s have someone do the dirty work for us for once.” Sothis ordered and Byleth mentally sighed but remained silent. 

Dimitri sighed in resignation, pinching the bridge of his nose, as he asked, “Please, Sylvain, if you are not going to say anything productive, keep quiet.” 

No one failed to notice his red ears though. 

Saving Dimitri from any more embarrassment, Rodrigue introduced the cheerful man, “This is Sylvain. He’s the next in line for the Gautiers. As you may know, their family is in charge of the red light district here in Fodlan.” 

Sylvain winked at Byleth before saying in a flirty tone, “If you want to have a good time, just give me a holler and I’ll make sure you’ll have the best time of your life.” 

Ingrid sighed before elbowing Sylvain once more. This time, Sylvain didn’t dodge (was he doing it on purpose?) and groaned as Ingrid asked, “Please do not take anything Sylvain too seriously. He’s a flirt and, on behalf of the Faerghus Branch, we ask for your patience and mercy, Miss.” 

“Now that’s just being mean.” Sylvain pouted before he said, “I’m always being serious when it comes to girls.” 

It looked like Ingrid was about to do more damage so Rodrigue intervened calmly, “Of course, I did not just send for Sylvain so you could meet him. We do have some business to talk about.” 

Rodrigue did look apologetic as he said to Byleth, “However, I must apologize as I must ask you to leave for now, Miss. I’m afraid this meeting must be between the branch members.” 

Byleth shrugged as she said, “I don’t mind.” 

“Thank you for your understanding.” Rodrigue said as he bowed. 

Next to Dimitri, Sothis scoffed before she snarked, “Oh, we don’t really understand. We just don’t care.” 

“Ingrid, why don’t you show Miss Byleth around?” Rodrigue suggested before adding, “Perhaps start with her personal quarters?” 

“Yes, sir!” Ingrid turned to smile at Byleth as she said, “Please follow me, Miss.” 

Byleth nodded and was about to walk towards Ingrid when she noticed Dimitri had stepped towards her. She turned her head to look at Dimitri and tilted her head. Dimitri smiled politely as he asked, “Will it be alright if I escort you to the elevator, Miss?” 

Ingrid opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she heard Sylvain cleared his throat. They both looked at each other silently, Sylvain making strange eyebrow movements that had Ingrid nodding for some reason. Sylvain grinned while Ingrid smiled at Byleth as she announced, “I shall go on ahead and wait for you by the elevator, Miss.” 

Without bothering to wait for a reply, she turned around and left the room. All the other men kept quiet as they wait for Byleth’s reply. 

Not seeing any reason to refuse him (which earned her another snort from Sothis), Byleth nodded as she replied, “I don’t mind.” 

Dimitri’s smile grew and they started to walk out of the room. Dimitri stepped to the side so Byleth could leave the room first. As Byleth left, she saw from the corner of her eye that Sylvain was giving a thumbs up to Dimitri. Even Dedue looked like he was smiling but she couldn’t be sure because Dimitri had closed the door as soon as he got out as well. 

They began to walk back to the elevator in silence and Sothis, surprisingly, didn’t seem to mind. No longer being dragged by an overly touchy man, Byleth could finally observe her surroundings. It was a simple hallway with dark blue carpet as the flooring and doors lined on both sides. The spacings of the dark wooden doors would suggest the room behind them were all of the same size. The elevator was at the end of the hallway and Ingrid was already by the door, waiting with her back turned. 

When they were just three doors away from the elevator, Dimitri turned to look at Byleth. 

"Our fathers seemed like they were close in the past." Dimitri commented in an off-handed manner, "If Sir Jeralt hadn't left with you, maybe things would have been different. Maybe we could have… grown up together." 

“If Sir Jeralt had stayed, maybe…” Dimitri's next words were softer yet colder at the same time, "Maybe they wouldn't have-" 

Dimitri stopped just a door away from the elevator, head bowed as he stared at the floor, his hands slightly shaking as he clenched them to form a fist. Byleth stopped and stared at Dimitri. Byleth's brows furrowed as she noticed Dimitri had closed his eyes tight and took deep breaths. It was almost as if he was trying not to hear something. 

"Dimitri?" She called out, raising her hand to touch Dimitri on the shoulder. 

Dimitri opened his eyes suddenly and stared at Byleth while she stopped, her hand a few inches away from actually touching Dimitri's shoulder. Dimitri took a step back and Byleth lowered her hand as he apologized with a polite smile, "Forgive me, Miss. I had a slight headache but I'm fine now. I shall find you later once our meeting is finished." 

Byleth stared at his polite smile for a few seconds, contemplating if she should push. Dimitri wanted to say something but stopped and she wondered if she had any right to ask. 

She didn’t. 

Instead, she simply nodded at him before turning her attention back to the elevator. Dimitri watched Byleth silently as she walked towards Ingrid. 

“Shall we go?” Ingrid gave her a sweet smile and Byleth nodded. She watch Ingrid press the open button. The elevator immediately opened and they both entered. Ingrid took out a card from inside her jacket and pressed it against the card reader below the elevator panel. While Ingrid pressed the ‘21’ button, Byleth raised her head to stare at Dimitri. Dimitri gave her a polite smile that Byleth simply stared at as the elevator door closed. 

Behind her, Byleth heard Sothis whisper," Coward." 

“This building has 21 floors and the roof has a beautiful garden.” Ingrid explained, “It’s quite beautiful at night. Oh, but do make sure to wear warm clothes. Nights here in Fhirdiad are cold even during the hottest summer. There’s also an indoor heated pool on the fifth floor if you’d prefer.” 

Byleth listened in as Ingrid continued, “There are various other facilities you can use and we can check them out later. I’m sure there would be a facility you’d find interesting.” 

Ingrid tilted her head and asked, “Maybe something to do with your hobby?” 

“I don’t really have a hobby.” Byleth admitted with a shrug. 

“Oh?” Ingrid blinked as the elevator door opened and they exited, “Then what do you do in your free time?” 

Byleth thought about it. She did like it when she and her dad spent a day fishing but that was a rare activity during the slow days. She doubted they had a fishing facility here though. 

“I usually maintain my firearms and maybe do a bit target practice or practice CQC with my dad if he’s up for it.” Byleth finally replied with a shrug as they walked a similar hallway like the one on the 20th floor. 

“And not about to die from alcohol poisoning.” Sothis added from Byleth’s other side. 

Ingrid’s entire face lit up and she excitedly asked, “You shoot? Oh, we must go to the firing range then! There’s so many different guns there and they have these different automatically moving targets. I’m sure you’d enjoy it.” 

Byleth nodded as she commented honestly, “That does sound interesting.” 

Ingrid smiled widely and nodded, “Yes, it’s actually an entire floor and we've even used the lower floor as large rooms with obstacles. We use it for mock battles. Of course, we don’t use real guns!” 

They stopped in front of a mahogany door in the middle of the hallway. Byleth listened as Ingrid explained, “This floor is mostly used by high ranking members of our branch when they need to stay here instead of their own home. Oh!” 

Ingrid pointed at the door to Byleth’s right, “That would be Sir Dimitri’s room. The door to his left is Dedue’s.” 

Ingrid grasped the doorknob of the door to Byleth’s left, right in front of Dimitri’s room as she said while turning the doorknob, “And this would be your room.” 

Ingrid took a step inside before turning to smile at Byleth. Understanding it as a silent request to come inside, Byleth stepped into the room. She walked until she was in the middle of the room, hearing Ingrid close the door behind her. It was quite a spacious room with the bed pressed against the leftmost corner of the room. There was a sliding door next to the bed and Byleth could see it leads to a small balcony. On the right was a simple desk and chair, bathed in natural light coming from the sliding door. At the middle of the room was a couch and a round wooden table. The walls were off-white that complemented the dark blue carpet. 

There was another door on her left that suddenly opened. 

“Oh!” A red haired young woman who looked younger than Ingrid blinked at her, surprised by her appearance. Unlike Ingrid, she was wearing a white buttoned shirt with puffed long sleeves and a high waist black skirt similar to what Byleth was currently wearing. She had a blue ribbon tied around her neck and blue stockings to go with her black doll shoes. She smiled and walked towards Byleth as she introduced herself, “You must be Miss Byleth! It’s so nice to finally meet you! We're still preparing your room but I hope you like what we've done for now.”

“We?” Byleth repeated. 

“Annie.” A sweet voice called out from what Byleth presume was the bathroom considering the unnecessarily big bathtub she can see from where she was standing. An older woman with her hair tied by a dark blue and white striped ribbon to a low side ponytail, walked out of the room, holding three pieces of beautiful dresses, “Do you think it would be too much to include these?” 

Sothis’ jaw dropped at the three dresses in her hand. One of it was a glittering nightmare that would paint a huge bulls eye on whoever was wearing it, the other one had a cut in the middle that would show both the boobs and the navel area and the other was something that looked like it can only be described as a funeral wedding dress. 

“ARE THEY THINKING YOU’D WEAR THOSE?!!” Sothis screeched, making Byleth winced. 

“Oh my.” The kind looking woman finally noticed Byleth and gave her a sweet smile as she greeted, “Hello, you must be Miss Byleth. Dedue has told me a lot about you.” 

“Are those… for Miss?” Ingrid looked pale at the clothes on the older woman’s hands. 

“Oh, yes. We tried contacting the main family about Miss’ clothes but Sir Seteth told us to get her new clothes-” The cheerful younger woman cleared her throat before continuing in a voice that Byleth was supposed to be Seteth’s, “‘befitting the next head of Seiros’.” 

“Hilda had been so kind in giving us your approximated measurements so we went out and got lots of different styles in the boutiques near here.” The older woman finished. She showed the three dresses to Byleth as she asked, “These are too much, aren’t they?” 

“It’s not exactly… my style.” Byleth replied. She could wear anything in all honesty but only when she was forced to for a job, “I prefer fitting clothes that won’t restrict my movements.” 

There was a beat before she continued, “And stockings.” 

The two women tilted their head so Byleth explained, “I like the different patterns of stockings. I usually wear short skirts or shorts so I can wear stockings.” 

“Oh, we did get skirts!” The younger woman said cheerfully before contemplating, “We skipped shorts though because it doesn’t seem like… something the next head should wear?” 

“Oh, I’m sure it would be fine.” The older woman said with a smile, “Miss can check the ones we’ve bought and, if it’s not to her liking, we can all go shopping together.” 

“Oh, yey, shopping.” Ingrid obviously did not like the idea. 

“I’m good with anything you already have.” Byleth said, not wanting to be a burden.

“Nonsense.” The older woman tutted before continuing, “Everyone should be allowed to wear what they’re most comfortable with. I’m sure Dimitri would agree with me.” 

The younger woman grinned as she commented, “Of course he will!” 

“Oh, that’s right. We haven’t introduced ourselves, have we?” The older woman folded the three dresses before she introduced herself, “My name is Mercedes. I’m in charge of the orphanage in Gaspard district but I sometimes come here to help Annie.” 

“That’s me!” The younger woman cheerfully introduced herself, “I’m Annette. I mostly keep this building on top condition. I guess you can say I’m the landlord. If you have any questions or any concerns about the building, I’m staying next to you too so just knock any time!” 

“Speaking of which…” Annette rushed back to the bathroom then quickly came back. She offered a card that looked like the one Ingrid and Dedue had, “This is the card key you would need to use the elevator and open the rooftop if you want to see the garden. If you lose this, please tell me immediately so I can cancel this card’s access and get you a replacement.” 

Byleth took the card and put it in her skirt’s pocket. Annette offered her a black smart phone with a shiny blue case and explained, “Please use this as well. I’ve finished encrypting this so no one can hack or bug it. I’ve also added in our numbers so you can contact us anytime.” 

Byleth wasn’t sure if she should say that giving her a phone was too much but she could see the reasoning behind it. The family obviously take the protection of their secrets seriously. It would make sense that they would give her a heavily encrypted phone to use moving forward. 

But then she’d lose her high score in Snake. 

“Just take the phone and keep your old one to play that damn game.” Sothis ordered as if she wasn’t the one at the edge of her seat the entire time Byleth’s snake was slowly filling the entire area. 

“Thank you.” Byleth said instead, pocketing the phone as well. 

“It’s no problem at all!” Annette smiled sweetly as she said, “It’s part of my job.” 

“Annette is also in charge of the maintenance and recording of our branch’s equipment and supplies.” Ingrid explained, “So if you wish to acquire anything, please don’t hesitate to talk to Annette.” 

“Yup.” Annette happily added, “From imported tea leaves to the latest secret experimental poisons, I’ll get them for you.” 

Ingrid narrowed her eyes as she asked, “Did Claude try and ask again?” 

Annette sheepishly smiled as she admitted, “Maybe?” 

Ingrid sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she said, “Annette, you don’t have to humor him every time he decides to call you. Just because he’s Sir Dimitri’s friend, doesn’t mean he can freely use our resources.” 

“But it sounded interesting too.” Annette reasoned, “And I just confirmed if it existed. I didn’t order it… for him.” 

They all looked at the sweet smiling young woman and Mercedes giggled, “Oh, Annie.” 

"Well then, would you like to see the other floors while Annette and Mercedes finish up the bathroom?" Ingrid suggested. 

"Oh, yes. We're still stocking up the bathroom." Annette grinned as she added, "We even made sure to pick the same lemon soap you used in the main family." 

"Annette!" Ingrid scolded for some reason but she looked absolutely delighted for some reason. 

Not wanting to sound rude, Byleth admitted, "I liked how it smelled." 

Annette squealed and looked like Byleth made her wish come true. Even Mercedes looked delighted as she clapped her hands together. 

Did they really like that soap that much? 

Ingrid coughed to hide her giggles. When she finally stopped, she smiled brightly at Byleth as she asked, “Well, then, shall we?” 

Byleth nodded at Ingrid before turning to face the two women and said, "It was nice meeting both of you." 

"We'll call you once everything's ready." Annette said with a smile. 

"Have fun." Mercedes added with a sweet smile, "The restaurant on the second floor have the best chocolate cake if you want to eat something sweet along the way." 

"Oh!" Annette clapped her hands as she suggested, "We can visit that dessert shop in Galatea district! They have the best cakes in Fodlan!" 

"That's a great idea." Ingrid agreed, "I can get us a reservation. Oh! But I'll have to ask Sir Dimitri when we can schedule it." 

"We can invite everyone!" Annette suggested, "It'll be fun!" 

Byleth didn't know who those 'everyone' was but she assumed it was probably their closest friends. She hoped it wasn't the entire branch. Before long, they said goodbye to the two cheerful young women and Ingrid gave her a tour to the rest of the building. The restaurant on the second floor was quite extravagant but classy. There was a fitness room on the same floor as the indoor heated pool and even a sauna for some reason. 

According to Ingrid, the entire building was a condominium that specifically houses members of the family but most of the regular occupants were from the Faerghus branch, including Dimitri and Dedue. Byleth honestly thought it was a bit too dangerous to put most of the members in one building but she kept quiet. There was probably a reason why they decided to do that considering the building looked like it had just been completed maybe 3 or 4 years ago. 

They decided to finish the tour on the shooting range floor as Ingrid thought it would be fun if they shoot a few targets while they waited for either Annette or Dimitri to call them, whoever finishes first. 

When they got out of the elevator, they were greeted by Sylvain and Dimitri who looked like they were just about to go inside the facility. Sylvain grinned as he greeted, "Hey, Miss. This must be fate! Had fun with the tour?" 

Byleth nodded as Ingrid asked, "Sir Dimitri, Sylvain! What are you doing here? Is the meeting over?" 

"Yup." Sylvain replied, placing his hands over the back of his head as he added, “We actually got a call during the meeting. Dedue’s prepping the car and we were just about to get Ashe before calling you guys.” 

It seemed like something was happening but Byleth didn’t get anymore information because Dimitri smiled at her as he asked, "What do you think of our headquarters?" 

"You people have a grocery store." Byleth blurted what she considered was the strangest facility she saw. 

Dimitri chuckled softly before explaining, "Yes. Well, a lot of our members requested for it." 

"You'll usually see Ingrid there at 2 am looking for a midnight snack." Sylvain teased making Ingrid roll her eyes, emphasizing unnecessarily, “At TWO am.” 

"Oh, like you're one to talk." Ingrid countered, "At least I didn’t spend a month buying random things just to flirt with the cashier. One of which, I must remind you, was a tampon that you said was for me. For me! As if I would ever ask you to buy me tampon!” 

"Hey, now, it was just 2 weeks." Sylvain corrected. 

"That doesn't really help your case, Sylvain." Ingrid rolled her eyes. 

Dimitri chuckled as the two continued to bicker. He turned back to Byleth and smiled as he suggested, "If you'd like, I can show you around?" 

Byleth nodded as she replied, "I would like that." 

Dimitri's smile grew and he walked beside Byleth as they enter the shooting range, Sylvain and Ingrid following them as they continue to bicker. Byleth actually found their bickering entertaining. It was clear that the two were fond with each other even when Ingrid was hurling insults and Sylvain was trying to defend his questionable actions. 

The shooting range was spacious and she saw a wall made of glass overseeing the floor below. There were various wooden boxes of different sizes littered all over and Byleth could see splashes of paints on the boxes, floor and walls. 

That must be where they have the mock battles Ingrid talked about. 

Dimitri led her to the control booth. There was only a grey haired young man there, using a sniper rifle to shoot a moving target. They all grabbed an ear and eye protection before approaching the control booth. Dimitri waited until the grey haired young man pressed the retrieval button before tapping his shoulder and everyone took off their ear protection. The young man flinched at the sudden contact but smiled when he saw Dimitri, "Oh, hello, Sir Dimitri!" 

"I've told you before, just call me Dimitri." Dimitri reminded the young man, making him smile sheepishly. 

"Sorry, um, Dimitri." The young man shyly apologized. 

Dimitri turned towards Byleth and introduced the grey haired young man, "Miss, this is Ashe. He's the son of Lonato who is in charge of Gaspard district." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss!" Ashe bowed at Byleth which she replied with a nod. Her attention was instantly taken by the target that Ashe had been shooting at. It was a small target, around the same size as her hand if she made a fist. Ashe's shot placed a round hole by the top right corner. The bullet and impact would have easily incapacitated the target but if Ashe had been planning to take out a target instantly, he needed to hit the dead center. 

Byleth crossed her arms and asked Ashe in an emotionless tone, “Show me how you shoot.” 

Ashe blinked for a moment before saying in a slightly embarrassed tone, “Oh, I’m still practicing. I’m not that good yet, Miss.” 

“I know.” Byleth agreed, making Sothis smack her face with her hand, and clarified, “I can give you pointers on how to take a perfect shot but I need to see what you’re currently doing.” 

“O-oh.” Ashe glanced on Dimitri who was looking at Byleth with curious and, if Ashe was being honest, awed look. Dimitri noticed Ashe was looking at him and he nodded before he stepped away from them. Dimitri, Sylvain and Ingrid stood behind the two, watching them silently, as Ashe pushed the start button. Everyone put on their ear protection once more. Once a new target started to move which Byleth noticed was a simple horizontal movement of the same speed of what Byleth would call an average adult man running, Ashe took position, crouching in front of the sniper rifle. Byleth noted that the sniper rifle’s weight was being supported by Ashe. Had he lied down and set his sniper rifle on the floor, it would have been steadier than it was now but Byleth also did prefer to practice while crouched or standing up so she didn’t say anything. Byleth counted three seconds before Ashe fired. 

He hit the target and then he stood once more, pressing the retrieval button. Everyone took off their ear protection and waited for the target to be transported to Ashe’s side. Ashe looked nervous as he handed the target to Byleth. Byleth only looked at it for a second, noting it was still around the right part of the small target. Ashe was decent enough. 

But decent was not enough for a sniper. 

Byleth nodded then instructed, “Start again. Get into position but don’t fire yet.” 

There must have been something in her voice as Ashe immediately straightened, shouted “Yes, ma’am!” and quickly pressed the start button before moving into position. 

“Protection.” Byleth reminded as she put on her own ear protection. Ashe blushed but quickly put on his ear protection. Behind them, the three childhood friends also quickly put on their ear protection with Dimitri a bit flustered over forgetting such an important rule. Byleth watched the target move for a few seconds before turning her attention back to Ashe, instructing him in a loud voice so she can be heard even with the ear protection on, “Follow the target with your scope but do not fire.” 

She waited for Ashe to follow the target for three seconds. 

"Take a deep breath. Inhale." Byleth waited 5 seconds after Ashe had inhaled deeply before instructing, "Exhale." 

Once Ashe exhaled, Byleth continued, "Good. Did you notice that your aim is steadier while you were holding your breath? That's what we want. When you breathe, your chest move. You move, your aim moves. That's why we eliminate that variable. Now, you're going to do it again but this time: I want you to hold your breath. Ready?"

Ashe gulped but remained determined as he replied, "Yes, ma'am." 

Byleth nodded then ordered, "Inhale." 

Ashe took a deep breath and Byleth explained, mentally counting the seconds, "My maximum is ten seconds. In that short amount of time, you must aim and shoot. Anything longer than ten seconds and you risk having lowered reaction time because of lack of oxygen." 

Once ten seconds was up, Byleth ordered, "exhale slowly." 

Ashe did as she instructed while Byleth continued, "Good. If you need more than ten seconds to aim, aim at the general direction before inhaling. If the target is moving, observe them. Humans, more often than not, unconsciously follow patterns unless they're consciously trying to be random. Even then, sometimes what they make as a random pattern is a pattern all by itself. That is why you observe your target, check for patterns and formulate their next action based on the pattern you have detected. That target is simple. It moves from side to side. Calculate the speed of its movement and aim at where it will be at the time you pull the trigger. Got it?" 

"Yes, ma'am." 

"Now. Do it again but this time shoot during your 10 seconds." 

"Yes, ma'am." Ashe waited. 

"Ready? Go." Byleth ordered and Ashe took a deep breath. Behind them, Ingrid, Sylvain and Dimitri unconsciously took a deep breath. Around the fifth second mark, Ashe pulled the trigger. Everyone but Byleth slowly exhaled and Ashe slowly stood, pressing the retrieval button. Everyone took off their ear protection while they waited. Ashe looked nervous as he waited for the target to approach him and he gasped when he finally got the target. He turned towards Byleth with a surprised but smiling face as he shouted, "I hit it! I hit it right at the center!" 

Byleth nodded and lightly ruffled his head like how her dad always did when she did perfect. Ashe blushed but preened at the attention, "Good. Practice using all the different speed and pattern available. Once you've mastered it, try going outdoor and have someone throw small objects in random directions while you try to shoot it down." 

Byleth lowered her hand and continued while Ashe straightened, "That exercise will hone your reaction time and will be useful in situations where you won't have enough time to observe or when you've been spotted and need to move and shoot on the fly." 

Ashe eagerly listened, wishing he could take notes, and asked, "What about the patterns? How can I practice that?" 

Byleth crossed her left hand and rested her left elbow against it. She leaned her cheek against her clenched left hand as she replied thoughtfully, "I practiced it by people watching. I would sit by the windows or outside of cafés and just watch people go by for a few days. It helped my recognition and observation skills as well. Watch people, watch what they're doing, their hands, their stride, their expression, everything. The more you take note of what random people do, the faster you find the same things in the next person you observe. These same variables will be what will help you find patterns. Got it? " 

"Yes, ma'am! Thank you for your guidance!" Ashe enthusiastically said, smiling at Byleth. He was already trying to mentally schedule his next few days to do everything Byleth said. 

Behind them, Sylvain whispered in awe, "Holy shit. Our next head is a hot teacher." 

Ingrid's eyes were shining and she was trembling, obviously trying to stop herself from barging in their conversation to ask for guidance about her own marksmanship. 

Dimitri, on the other hand, was still not over the fact that she ruffled Ashe's head. The ugly pang of jealousy he felt only making him feel bad on top of it. Fortunately, his phone chose that time to vibrate. Dimitri took out his phone and answered the call, “Dedue? Is everything ready?” 

Everyone turned their attention to Dimitri as he nodded at whatever Dedue was saying on the phone, “Understood. We will meet you there.” 

Dimitri ended the call and said with an apologetic smile, “My apologies, Ashe, Miss, but we must get going. I shall explain the situation along the way.” 

Byleth immediately nodded, noticing that Dimitri’s tone was similar to her dad’s tone whenever he received an urgent news that would change their course of action during a job. Dimitri bowed slightly at her understanding as he said, “Thank you. Please, this way.” 

Byleth let Dimitri lead her out of the control room, followed closely by Sylvain. Ingrid helped Ashe quickly stow away the sniper rifle he had been using. The three waited for Ashe and Ingrid to catch up by the elevator and Dimitri pressed the down button before he started to explain, “During our meeting with my uncle and Rodrigue-” 

Dimitri furrowed his brows as he added, “I would like to express my deepest apologies on how my uncle acted, Miss. I have talked to him about it-” 

Sylvain snorted but quickly covered it with a cough. 

“- and he has given his word that it will never happen again.” Dimitri continued as if Sylvain didn’t make any noise at all. The elevator door opened and they all entered as Dimitri continued, “However, if he does try it again, please feel free to act accordingly.” 

“Translation: please kick his ass and we would be so happy if you crushed his balls as well.” Sylvain helpfully commented, making Ingrid elbow him but Byleth could see that it was half-hearted at best. Ashe smiled grimly. 

“The uncle is obviously not well liked.” Sothis commented, leaning against one of the elevator wall as Dimitri took out a card and pressed it to the card reader below the elevator panel. While Dimitri pressed the “B2” button, Sothis frowned as she mused out loud, “But if that is so then why has he not been replaced? If the head must be a Blaiddyd then Dimitri is obviously a better choice.” 

Byleth quietly agreed with Sothis’ musing but did not voice them out loud and only listened to Dimitri as the elevator began to descend, “As I was saying before, our meeting had to be cut short because we received word that a few armed men are causing a ruckus in Gautier district.” 

“Is this the same armed men as the previous week?” Ingrid asked, frowning as she looked at Sylvain. Sylvain simply shrugged like it wasn’t his problem which made Ingrid narrow her eyes at him. 

“We cannot be sure as of right now but we will be going with the assumption that they are the same men. Felix has already been dispatched but I’d like us to provide backup.” Dimitri answered Ingrid before explaining to Byleth, “They’ve been causing minor incidents in the red light district in the past month. It has led to a less than usual profit for us but we’ve not truly thought of removing them until a week later when they started using firearms.” 

The elevator door opened and they walked out of the elevator door. On the driveway in front of the elevator, Dedue was waiting by the same black car they had used earlier. Mercedes and Annette were with him and Dedue seemed to be talking with Mercedes. Annette noticed them first and waved at them. 

When they reached the car, Annette explained without even giving a greeting, “All your equipments are in the trunk.” 

“Thank you, Annette.” Dimitri nodded at the smiling girl before turning to Dedue, “Let’s go.” 

“Yes, sir.” Dedue bowed slightly before turning to face Mercedes. Mercedes gave a soft smile as Dedue placed a hand on her forearm and squeezed it gently before silently going inside the driver side. Ingrid went in the passenger’s side while Sylvain and Ashe went towards the closely parked motorcycle. Sylvain’s motorcycle was pitch black, making his red hair stand out even further, while Ashe’s motorcycle was off white. Dedue started the car while the two men put on their helmets before they revved their engines. Sylvain drove out of the basement first. Ashe waited for Dedue to drive away first and maintained a speed that lets him drive side by side to the car. 

Byleth watched as the two women wave at them as they left but kept quiet. She noticed Dimitri took out his phone and pressed a group call. 

Once the call started, Dimitri finally asked, “Status report, Felix?” 

“You don't need to come. I’m more than enough to take out the trash.” An annoyed male voice said from the phone. Byleth assumed this was the one Dimitri called Felix. 

“Now don’t say that, Felix. You know we’ll always have your back.” Sylvain’s cheerful cooed. 

“I don’t need backup.” Felix growled, making Dimitri sigh. 

“Please just give us your report, Felix, then we’ll talk about how to move forward.” Dimitri asked, trying to get the topic back at hand. 

Byleth turned her attention to the window. Flayn was right. Fhirdiad was beautiful at night with all the colorful lights bathing the district in a soft fairy-like light. 

“I’ve taken out three of them but five more ran towards the back alleys behind Cozy Sisters. I have my men circle around to cut off their escape and they reported a few more people, he didn’t get a number, enter from the back before they could cut them off.” Felix summarized, “I’m just about to hunt them down.” 

“The back alleys behind Cozy Sisters are a maze at daytime.” Sylvain commented, suddenly serious, “At night time, that’s seriously an easy place to get ambushed.” 

“I’ll be fine.” Felix growled. 

“And I’m already here.” Sylvain added cheerfully. 

“What the-” Felix was cut off and Byleth heard a scuffle as he shouted, “Get off, Sylvain!” 

Considering Sylvain had only maybe a minute or two headstart and they haven’t even entered Gautier district yet, Byleth could only assume that Sylvain had driven on a dangerously high speed. 

“Sylvain, keep Felix there until we arrive.” Dimitri ordered, raising his head to stare at Dedue. Dedue seemed to have either noticed Dimitri staring at him or he just knew what Dimitri wanted because he raised the car’s speed without any verbal cue from Dimitri. Dimitri returned his attention to the phone where Felix was threatening to skin Sylvain alive if he doesn’t get off, “Sylvain, where’s the best place for Ashe to set up?” 

Sylvain hummed for a moment, earning a growl from Felix, before suggesting, “There’s an abandoned building next to Cozy Sisters. It should have a view of the entire back alley. It’s mainly used by any workers with clients who wants it quick and away from others.” 

The car slowly stopped and Byleth saw Sylvain just a few feet away, right in front of the entrance to a back alley next to a building with an eye-popping neon sign of ‘Cozy Sisters’. He had draped his entire body over a smaller young man with dark blue hair. Dedue turned off the engine while Ingrid got out of the car. Ingrid opened the door for Byleth before she could do it herself and Byleth got out of the car. Dedue did the same for Dimitri before they all walked towards the trunk of the car. Sylvain and the glaring young man that Byleth assumed was Felix walked to meet them there. Ashe quickly parked his motorcycle next to Sylvain’s and walked towards them as well. As Dedue opened the trunk, Dimitri ordered, “Ingrid, take Ashe to the rooftop of the building Sylvain told us.” 

Sylvain helpfully pointed at the building just next to the Cozy Sister while Ingrid and Ashe nodded. Dedue handed a briefcase to Ashe which Byleth knew would be hiding a disassembled sniper rifle while Dimitri continued to plan out, “Felix, you’re with me.” 

Felix glared at Dimitri and crossed his arms but did not say anything as he continued, “Sylvain, take Dedue with you. Both of you know the back alleys more than us. We’ll try to sweep the entire place. Will that be possible?” 

Sylvain shrugged, resting his arm on Felix’s shoulder as he replied, “Sure. Felix can take the left side and I’ll take the right side. If we keep moving at just one direction, we can sweep it clear no problem.” 

“Then we’ll do that.” Dimitri nodded before adding in a cold tone, “Our objective is to subdue, not to kill. We need information. These vermin suddenly have firearms and we need to find out where they got them. Try to capture them but, if they prove to problematic, cut them down.” 

Felix’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Dimitri while Dedue handed each of them a collapsible baton. Felix shook his head and said, “I have my own.” 

Dedue nodded and offered one to Byleth who took it. Dimitri turned his attention to Byleth and asked, “Would you prefer to stay with Ashe and Ingrid? You can instruct Ashe from the rooftop.” 

Byleth flicked her wrist, forcing the collapsible baton to extend, before turning her attention to Dimitri as she replied, “I’d like to stay with you.” 

Dimitri nodded while Felix growled, “Hey, are you serious, you boar?” 

“Relax, Felix.” Sylvain pulled him closer and grinned, “Miss is a badass.” 

Felix elbowed Sylvain but the older man kept his grip on Felix which made Felix growl at him. Dedue took out a large briefcase from the trunk and opened it in front of Byleth as he said, “Please pick any of these to take with you.” 

There were six different handguns inside. Byleth would have preferred her own guns and noted that she would ask Annette if they could get them from her home in Albinea. She took the Walther P5 Compact instead. It was the lightest of the six and she could use it using one hand without severely compromising her accuracy or speed. Dedue closed the suitcase and returned it to the trunk. The sound of the trunk closing seemed to have been the sign for everyone to move. Ingrid and Ashe both bowed to Byleth before quickly walking towards the abandoned building while Sylvain finally let go off Felix. Felix took out his baton which wasn’t collapsible like the others while everyone else took out their handgun from under their jacket. Sylvain and Felix glanced at one another and Felix nodded. Sylvain and Felix walked towards the entrance to the back alley and Dimitri and Byleth followed behind them with Dedue taking the rear. 

They were about to reach the first fork where they would split off when they all heard a gunshot. Byleth immediately crouched, feeling Dimitri’s hand on her shoulder as he crouched next to her, while Dedue moved in front of them, crouching while using his body to protect both Dimitri and Byleth. Sylvain and Felix had quickly crouched forward. The bullet passed the wall where Sylvain’s head had been just a second ago. Felix growled and immediately rushed towards the gunner who was wearing a black ski mask just a few feet ahead on the right fork. 

“Felix!” Sylvain shouted, running after Felix. 

Before Dimitri and the others could run after them, Byleth saw movements from the upper right corner of her eyes. She rushed towards Dimitri and Dedue, pushing them to the left fork. A second later, a barrage of bullets rained where they had been. Byleth heard what could have been an animalistic growl but she couldn’t be sure where it came from as she was looking around. The bullets were coming from the roof of a one storey building. There were a few wooden boxes that looked sturdy enough to take her weight behind Dimitri. She could… 

“That’s insane.” Sothis commented. 

What else is new? 

“Keep them busy.” Byleth ordered before jumping towards the wooden boxes. She could hear Dimitri call out to her but she didn’t stop. If she hoped to eliminate the hostile targets, she needed to act now. 

“We’ll be fine. We’re used to doing this alone.” Sothis whispered from behind her and Byleth simply nodded. She kicked off the wooden boxes and into the nearest rooftop. She dropped on the rooftop with a roll and used the momentum to start running, making sure to keep her body lowered. She jumped towards the next building just in time to hear the sounds of returning fire. She circled around where the firing men in ski masks were trying to return fire towards Dimitri and Dedue, planning to surprise them from behind. A quick glance towards them had Byleth’s blood run cold. 

Dimitri had pushed forward instead of staying in the safety of their initial location. Dedue was trying to provide cover for him as Dimitri fired above. 

One of his shot managed to hit a masked man on the chest. 

“What the hell is he thinking?!” Sothis screeched from behind her and Byleth’s eyes narrowed. 

She needed to get there fast. Dimitri was leaving himself too open. 

She jumped to the building behind where the masked men were shooting in time to see one of them jerk and scream as the gun on his hand looked like it exploded. 

It must have been Ashe as the trajectory of the destroyed gun parts was not possible if it had either been Dimitri or Dedue. Byleth ran towards the edge of the building, using her momentum to jump towards the rooftop where the masked men were. She could see there were six of them. 

One of the men at the center, the same man who had already been wounded by Ashe, dropped and Byleth could see the blood pooling to the ground from a head wound. Five. 

"So much for trying not to kill." Sothis snarked but it was subdued. 

Byleth landed on the rooftop safely, rolling towards the men. She rolled towards the men, using Dimitri's ("suicidal! Dumb!") distraction. She hit the nearest man's kneecap with her baton then used the momentum to hit the man on her other side on the stomach, making him go down on his knees in pain. She returned to the first man she hit and slammed her baton on his face, surely breaking his nose. The man screamed in pain and Byleth slid towards the man clutching his stomach and kicked him in the face. 

Byleth fired two shots on the next man just next to the man on his knees in time to hear gunshots behind her. The man in front of him screamed in pain as she hit him on the legs, one going through his thigh while the other hit him on the kneecap. 

She didn't have to turn towards Dimitri to know that the two had focused their fire on the one behind her. 

She rushed the screaming man and pushed him towards the remaining man who had turned to aim at her. The man stumbled and Byleth quickly fired at them, hitting the one in front in the shoulder and torso. The man behind him screamed in pain as the bullets went through him. 

Making sure that they wouldn't get up anytime soon, Byleth briskly walked towards them. The man in front was already unconscious, probably due to shock. The man behind him was kneeling, breathing heavily as he pressed his hand on his bleeding torso. Byleth raised her baton and slammed it against his temple. The man fell on the ground and Byleth flicked her baton, removing the blood and coating the ground instead. 

She took a quick look. All the ones she took down were wounded but alive. They would need medical attention but she was pretty sure they weren't in any immediate danger. 

The rest were dead. 

Byleth walked towards the edge and looked down, her eyes zoning on Dimitri who was just standing in the middle of the alley, a smile on his face as he stared at her with what she could only describe as awe. 

… And something darker, much too dark for Byleth’s liking. 

"This is a mess." Sothis commented as Byleth kept her eyes on Dimitri, "They're lucky we were here." 

She could feel Sothis put her arms on her waist as she snarked, "And he's lucky he's dumb-cute." 

…………… What the hell is dumb-cute? 

Sothis sighed in resignation and replied in a deadpan tone, "You. You and him are both dumb-cute. God. Why can't I talk to anyone else?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter grew so long that I had to change my (not really planned out) chapters so I’m making the (estimated) chapter counts to 10 now. Chapter 4 was going to be part of chapter 3 but I realized that even chapter 4 was going to be long soooo… stay tune for that one, I guess?
> 
> More Notes
> 
> Rhosyn: So [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan) and I talked about what we should name Byleth’s mother and decided on Rhosyn which means rose after like… a lot of girl names. 
> 
> Sniper breathing technique: I have no idea if this is a real thing or not and it's just one of the many "is it real or fiction?" tidbit I have inside my brain that I don't remember the origin of. According to a few articles online, this can work but it really depends on the person doing it. Some prefer shooting after exhaling, etc.
> 
> Byleth’s proficiency on sniper rifle: Okay, so this is really just a reflection on how I play Byleth. My Byleth is mainly a bow using Pegasus/Falcon knight. Why? Because Pegasus/Falcon knights have an adorable winning pose when they use a bow (they give a flying kiss!) … no seriously, that’s pretty much it. If I was being serious about making Byleth a bow unit, Bow Knight’s bowfaire + extra range would have been better but, nope, the winning animation is more important XD
> 
> Modes of Transportation: Sylvain and Ashe’s motorcycles are based on their mounted unit horse (more specifically Sylvain’s Dark Knight horse and Ashe’s Bow Knight horse… even though I classed both of them as Wyvern Lords during my playthrough). Ingrid can also drive a motorcycle but she’s also proficient in piloting helicopters and small private planes. (And yes, Seteth is also a certified pilot on this AU) Yes, Dimitri also has his own motorcycle but he doesn’t usually use it because Dedue worries.
> 
> Felix's special baton: He can learn Thunder and Thoron so I made his baton have 'shocking' capabilities. By the way, Dimitri is the only other Blue Lion who can learn both Thunder and Thoron. (Mercie can only learn Thunder but not Thoron)


	5. White Greetings (PARALOGUE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra stories set in Chapter 3: White Greetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the PARALOGUE chapter of White Greetings (Ch3)  
These are extra stories set in Chapter 3. Please read that first before this

* * *

PARALOGUE: The Man In The Red Mask

(Scene set: after Sylvain follows Felix away from the group) 

It was a fucking ambush. 

Sylvain should have seen it. Hell, he should have remained with Dimitri. The safety of Lady Sothis Seiros ("She prefers to be called Miss Byleth.") should be the branch's priority. 

But there was no way in hell he was letting Felix rush ahead alone. 

Between him and Dimitri, Sylvain and Ingrid always had their hands full keeping their two impulsive childhood friends 'safe'. 

At least they have Dedue now on full Dimitri duty even though Ingrid is still a bit guarded around the man from Duscur. 

They all believe Ingrid will understand once she finally stop grieving over Glenn and see Dedue as a comrade. 

Shit. Glenn. 

Sylvain needed to keep his head in the game. 

Thinking about ghosts will get him killed. 

He took a left turn, remembering this was a shortcut that should lead back to the main alley that he lost Felix in before the god damn ambush. 

He pressed his back against the wall and raised his hand, waiting for the two men who had followed him instead of Felix. He slammed his baton on the first man who stepped out of where he came from. The other man was right behind him so Sylvain headbutted him. He raised his baton over his head just as the other man staggered away from them. He slammed his baton down the man in front of him and he fell on the floor with a loud crack. Sylvain quickly stepped towards the staggering man and punched the man instead. The man's head hit the wall on his way down and Sylvain turned around, running towards the main alley without bothering to check if the two men were alive or not. 

Just as he expected, Felix was fighting against four men with guns. 

Using a fucking baton. 

"You idiot!" Sylvain hissed, taking out his handgun. Felix was too fast and he danced away and into the four men randomly. It kept the men from shooting Felix but it also kept Sylvain from providing cover. 

Felix didn't even notice Sylvain, slamming his baton on one of the men's knees. The man screamed as he was electrocuted. Felix didn't waste any time, quickly charging the nearest man with his still charged baton. 

Sylvain was still trying to get a clear shot when he noticed two people by the rooftop. One of them was wearing a white mask hidden by a red hooded jacket. The other one was… 

"Miklan?!" Sylvain shouted. 

His brother raised his hand and- 

Shit! 

"Sylvain!" Felix shouted as he grabbed Sylvain out of the way of Miklan's shot. They both fell on the ground and Sylvain instinctively covered Felix by rolling them towards the entrance of the small alley he came from. Felix managed to get up and pulled Sylvain up with him. They began to run, the flurry of bullets following them. 

"You idiot! Who the hell shouts at an obvious enemy while standing in plain sight!" Felix shouted as they turned a corner together, already knowing the best way to lose the people tailing them. 

"That was Miklan!" Sylvain shouted back, "Shit, Miklan's part of them." 

"No shit." Felix growled as they jumped over an overturned garbage container. Felix turned around and crouched behind the overturned garbage container, making Sylvain skid to a halt. 

“Felix?!”

“We need to stop them here.” Felix hissed as Sylvain crouched next to him, “We can’t take them back to the others.” 

Sylvain stared at Felix for a moment before grinning at him. Felix narrowed his eyes and grumbled, “Shut up.” 

“I didn’t say anything.” Sylvain cheerfully defended. 

“Whatever you’re planning on saying, don’t.” Felix warned with a glare. 

Sylvain chuckled and patted Felix on the back twice before he took out his handgun and aimed it in front of them. Felix put his baton on the belt holster he had and took out his own handgun and aimed it in front of them as well. They waited, listening for the incoming sounds of running feet. 

There were at least five of them. 

“Miklan could be with them.” Felix stated, keeping his eyes in front of them. 

“I know.” Sylvain replied seriously. 

“Leave him to me.” 

Sylvain’s lips curved into a small smile, “Thanks, Felix.” 

His smile turned into a grin as he added, “You’re so sweet.” 

“Shut up.” Felix growled as the men finally turned to their corner. Felix quickly noticed Miklan wasn’t with them. 

Sylvain’s laughter mingled with the surprise rain of bullets they inflicted upon the unprepared men.

* * *

PARALOGUE: Priorities

(Scene set: during the firefight)

  


“Miss!” Dimitri called out but Byleth had already jumped towards the roof of the building next to them. Dimitri knew he couldn’t follow her. She jumped from building to building quickly. It won’t take too long before the trigger happy armed men notice her. Dimitri turned towards Dedue and ordered with a growl, “Kill them all. Don’t let any bullet even near her!” 

Dedue didn’t seem perturbed by Dimitri’s cold order and simply nodded, “Yes, sir.”

* * *

PARALOGUE: Scenting

(Scene Set: After the chapter)

Sylvain found him alone when they had returned to Faerghus headquarters to report to his uncle and clean up. Dimitri sighed in resignation as Sylvain wrapped an arm around his shoulder and cheerfully greeted, “Hey, Dimitri!” 

Dimitri counted himself lucky that Byleth wasn't with him right now. The thought of Sylvain teasing him in front of her was mortifying to say the least. Byleth was immediately taken by Annette and Mercedes who decided to help her clean up and show her the clothes they bought and Ingrid had went with them. 

“Hello, Sylvain.” Dimitri greeted back, mentally readying himself for what he knew was about to come. He knew that his luck of Sylvain not saying anything the entire day was going to end soon. 

He was ready for Sylvain to talk about the disaster that was the greenhouse. He was not ready for what Sylvain said next, “So, aren’t you glad I changed your soap in the main house?” 

Dimitri blushed but kept quiet. Which was fine with Sylvain as he continued, “Could you have imagined if it had been that unscented crap you had before? You wouldn’t have been able to get a taste of what it would be like to have such a hot woman smelling like your soap as if she took a shower after a night full of-” 

“It wasn’t even unscented. It had a smell.” Felix cut out Sylvain’s wild imagination as he suddenly appeared next to them with his arms crossed. 

Where did he come from? 

Has he even visited the infirmary yet? Dimitri was sure Felix was the most bruised out of all of them. 

Sylvain did not miss a beat, pouncing immediately at the new opening and asked, “Oh? And how would you know, Felix?” 

Felix glared at Sylvain as Sylvain leaned towards him, pushing Dimitri to lean onto Felix. Sylvain grinned Felix as he said, “The only way you could know what Dimitri’s old soap used to smell like is if you either have the same brand, which I happen to know you don’t, or you actually smelled Dimitri when he just finished showering.” 

“Wha-” Felix’s eyes widened and his cheeks started reddening, but no other sound came out of his mouth. Dimitri looked at the ceiling as he begged for salvation from the incoming genocidal rage that is Felix Hugo Fraldarius. 

“I’m jealous, Felix. Did you ever smell me when I’ve just finished showering?” Sylvain teased, “Come on, tell me. Do you like how I smell more than Dimitri?” 

Dimitri begged for death to come take him swiftly. 

Felix briskly walked away without another word, making Sylvain shout after him, “Hey, Felix! Answer me! Who smells better, me or Dimitri?!” 

Dimitri watched Felix leave, pretty sure he’ll come back with a knife to skin Sylvain alive. While he waited for the return of the incoming storm, he asked Sylvain, “How are you sure he doesn’t use the same brand I used before?” 

Sylvain smiled at Dimitri and admitted with a grin, “Because Felix doesn’t smell the same way you used to.” 

Dimitri stared at Sylvain silently for an entire minute while Sylvain just kept grinning at him. 

“Sylvain.” 

“Yeah?” 

“That’s creepy.” 

“You wound me, Dimitri.” Sylvain said with an obviously fake pout, “I have to make sure my precious friends smells nice now so when they do get some, their partner would think they smell nice.” 

Dimitri sighed and didn’t bother to reply, resigned to his fate of waiting for Felix to come back to skin Sylvain alive for him. 

Who was he kidding?

After Sylvain gets skinned, Felix will probably skin him too so there will be no witnesses left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Dimitri's paralogue for this chapter is super short and it was meant to be part of the main story but it kinda felt off when it was there so I just included it here.


	6. Crimson Mist (MAIN)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth grows close to the family as the year passes… with special mentions to the next head of the Faerghus branch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be more like smaller scenes strung up flimsily together but I hope you guys still like it.  
This is the MAIN chapter. Please read this before going to the PARALOGUE of Crimson Mist.

Byleth’s life in the Faerghus branch took some getting used to but she believed she finally got the hang of it after two months. She mostly accompanied Dimitri as he went along his duties together with Dedue and Ingrid. From the way Byleth could see it, Dimitri was acting like the head already. She didn’t really understand why they wouldn’t just kick Rufus out and let Dimitri be the head. 

“Maybe he’s still too young?” Sothis had suggested once but he was already eighteen years old according to Annette. By that age, she had already been accompanying her dad on his jobs. 

“But he only let you go off on your own when you were twenty years old.” Sothis reminded her and she supposed that was true. (“Supposed? It’s a fact!”)

She had asked Rhea about Dimitri’s position during one of their afternoon tea afterwards. As she promised, she had weekly afternoon tea with the main family, almost always Sunday afternoon unless something came up. It was usually her, Rhea, Seteth and Flayn but, this week, it was just her and Rhea. Seteth was apparently accompanying Flayn on an errand or something. She was sure that was just an excuse and they wanted her and Rhea to spend some time alone. She didn’t actually mind. Rhea’s intensity had slowly mellowed out the more they spend time together and she could actually hold a conversation with her without Rhea either grabbing her hands and not letting go until she could excuse herself or suddenly bursting into tears in the middle of it. The first time the latter happened, it was a very awkward event for everyone involved. Seteth had started to cry as well while trying to make Rhea stop. Flayn had joined in the crying (sympathy tears, she had said). Sothis had began to panic at the sudden burst of emotions all over and Byleth just sat there, silent and emotionless, pretty much useless. She had looked for support from her dad who usually stayed behind one of the pillars to keep an eye on things whenever she had tea with the main family and her dad just raised his hands in surrender and shook his head as he stared back at her poor daughter with wide eyes. 

Thanks, dad.

The entire affair ended with a group hug that was filled with tears and snot.

“We try to not get involved with the branches’ internal structure.” Rhea had explained, her eyes still trained on Byleth as if she was afraid she would disappear if she took her eyes off her for just one second but Byleth had become accustomed to Rhea’s intense staring, especially now that it had considerably mellowed out. She silently listened as Rhea continued, “The Adrestia and Faerghus branches are well known for keeping their leadership firmly within the Hresvelg family and the Blaiddyd family. In contrast, while Riegan is considered to be the head of the Leicester branch, the branch itself is actually led by five leaders and the current head, Claude’s grandfather, is more of a mediator between the other four leaders and tie breaker if necessary. These five leaders can be changed at any time as long as the majority of the five leaders agree to it or the leader in question steps down voluntarily.”

Rhea took a sip before continuing, “The Faerghus branch had the misfortune of losing their head four years ago.” 

Rhea looked sad as she continued, “It was truly a shame that Lambert had been taken from us so soon. Rhosyn, your mother, had been close to him. I had assumed they would actually pursue a romantic relationship but then she fell in love with Jeralt instead.”

There it was again. Every time Rhea spoke to her, she would always find a way to talk about Byleth’s mother. She knew that her mother was Rhea’s sister and that they were close but Byleth herself felt nothing for a dead woman. It was cruel, she knew, so she simply kept quiet and let Rhea continue. 

“During that time, Dimitri had been too young so Rufus had to take over. From what I have heard from Seteth, Dimitri and Rodrigue have taken over most of Rufus’ duties in the past year. We are unsure on why Dimitri has not yet been proclaimed as the head. We’re sure majority of the branch would have supported his claim but…”

Rhea paused and simply stared at Byleth silently. Byleth wasn’t sure if Rhea was having one of her strange episodes again or if she was actually trying to think of what to say so she remained quiet, waiting for Rhea to break the silence.

“... you must have seen it?” Rhea finally asked, her eyes staring into Byleth as if they could see pass every wall Byleth had created, “The shadow that follows that boy…”

Byleth straightened at those words. She… had seen it. Dimitri concealed it well and she was sure most people don’t even notice it but she had seen glimpses of it. 

And what she saw frightened her.

“He hides it well. I’m sure most people do not see it.” Rhea voiced out Byleth’s quiet observation. Rhea lifted the teacup to her lips as she continued, “However, I have experienced such shadow and, as such, I can catch it. I’m sure you’re quite the same.”

Byleth wasn’t sure what Rhea meant by that but she nodded nevertheless while Rhea sipped her tea once more. Rhea gently placed the teacup back to its coaster as she continued gently, “That boy is chained by the past, by the tragedy that took away everything he loved.”

Byleth has heard about what Rhea was talking about. Not many members of Faerghus liked to talk about what they called the Tragedy of Duscur. She mostly heard about it from Annette and Mercedes who had no personal ties to the tragedy. Annette’s father, Gustave, however, had taken the tragedy as a great failure on his part and requested a transfer to the main family’s security team, leaving the Faerghus branch and refusing to have any contact with any of the branch members including his family as some sort of self-imposed punishment (“What a stupid man. Does he not see he is simply running away? Poor Annette.”)

Dimitri and his parents, with only their personal guards on tow, had been on their way home from a quiet celebration of his step-mother’s birthday when they were mercilessly gunned down by five unknown assailants on motorcycles. It was a bloodbath. Everyone but Dimitri had died and the car had exploded, making retrieval of the body of his parents impossible. Dimitri had been saved from joining his parent’s fiery death by his personal bodyguard, Glenn, who had dragged the poor boy away from the wreckage. The assailants swerved back towards the car and Glenn had tried to shield Dimitri from their second wave, dying in Dimitri’s arms. Glenn had shielded him from the majority of the scattered shots but Dimitri still had to rushed to the hospital and operated on for five hours for various injuries sustained including a bullet that lodged itself into his brain. A lot of people in Faerghus speculated that Dimitri’s head wound had been the reason why he had lost his sense of taste afterwards and his frequent headaches but Mercedes had suggested it may have something to do with the trauma he had received as well. 

Glenn had been Felix’s older brother and his death had caused a rift between Rodrigue and his only remaining son. Annette had suggested that was why Rodrigue had been living in the main headquarters in Fhirdiad while Felix stayed in Fraldarius district with his uncle. 

“I think that as long as that boy is chained to his past, he cannot lead Faerghus branch.” Rhea commented, tracing the rim of her teacup with her left hand, “But I think…”

Rhea’s lips curved into a small soft smile as she admitted, “I believe that if you stay by his side, it will all work out in the end.”

That had been the end of their conversation about that and Rhea had changed the topic.

Byleth still didn’t know what Rhea meant by that. Did she expect Byleth’s stay with the Faerghus branch to be enough to heal Dimitri because that would be unrealistic as hell. Byleth was sure that what Dimitri needed was professional help, not her.

“Maybe our aunt is a romantic?” Sothis had commented off-handedly but Byleth didn’t pay it any mind (“Rude!”).

The tragedy of Duscur enveloped the Faerghus branch like a suffocating sheet. Dedue was usually met with distrust by many members because he was from Duscur and the supposedly five assailants had been from Duscur as well. That was why the branch family had murdered almost all of the native residents of Duscur district. According to Annette, Dimitri had been against the murder and had personally tried to stop it. That was how he met Dedue. Dedue’s loyalty to Dimitri stemmed from the fact that he had stopped members of his own branch from killing Dedue. The unnecessary genocide in Duscur district got a lot of Faerghus branch members arrested, many of which were still on prison on reduced sentences instead of life-time imprisonment thanks to their defense lawyers from Aegir and Vestra, but it had fractured the relationship between Dimitri and Rufus who had pushed for the assault on Duscur, blinded by rage and the grief of losing his younger brother. His supposedly philandering ways also started after he became head and Byleth wondered if Rufus was trying to drown his grief with sex or he just simply made use of his new position to finally indulge himself. She wouldn’t know for sure since the ones she was close to didn’t like Rufus and the only person she knew that looked like they even liked Rufus was a high ranking member of the branch family named Cornelia who creeped both her and Sothis out. Ingrid’s own brother was one of the people currently in prison. Byleth had noticed Ingrid was a bit distant with Dedue and had assumed it was because of her brother but she later found out that she and Glenn had been close. According to Sylvain, they had been in love but their age difference had stopped Glenn from pursuing Ingrid and they have both been waiting for Ingrid to grow older before starting a relationship. Fortunately, their forced closeness due to Ingrid being Byleth’s personal bodyguard during her stay seemed to slowly warm her to Dedue. Just yesterday, she saw the two of them talking about Dedue’s tendency to shield both her and Dimitri with his body. Sure, Ingrid was scolding Dedue but that seemed to be her default way of showing she cared.

Sylvain seemed to be the only one of Dimitri’s childhood friends who came out of the tragedy relatively unscratched but she later found out he had problems at home too. His older brother, Miklan, had been thrown out of the family years ago because of substance abuse, substance he was supposedly pilfering from Cornelia’s operations no less, and, now, he was in league with the unknown masked man in the red hood that had been prowling Fodlan at night, causing disturbance to the family’s businesses.

“Our very own vigilante.” Sylvain had joked back then but Byleth could see that he was not quite alright with the branch’s official order to take down Miklan, dead or alive. She supposed it was a good thing that Miklan seemed to have disappeared after their encounter in the back alleys of Cozy Sisters. The men that Byleth managed to subdue had all confessed that Miklan was their leader but the red hooded masked man had been the one who had provided the firearms. When they were asked to describe the red hooded masked man, they couldn’t give anything. The masked man wore a long red jacket with a hood that hid even his feet. He was of average height but the jacket made it hard to see the physique of the man. He never spoke directly and used a text to audio app from his phone instead. When they try to describe the phone, all they could say was that it was a black smartphone but they couldn’t make out the make and model. 

The identity of the red hooded masked man had become a priority for all three branches after that but Byleth barely heard any news about it. 

And so Byleth spent a year with the Faerghus branch. 

Her second week in Faerghus, the entire branch did throw a party for her and her dad in the second floor restaurant. She met a lot more of the branch members, including Ingrid’s father and her two brothers who weren’t incarcerated. She also met Lonato, Ashe’s adopted father who was in charge of Gaspard district, and Sylvain’s father who was in charge of Gautier district. Alois, for some reason, had joined the festivity but no one seemed to mind and he even got into some kind of joking contest with some of the members where whoever had the worst joke for the round will have to take a shot. Alois took a shot every round. 

Alcohol flowed freely as Byleth expected and her dad was roped (or may have been the instigator) to a drinking competition among the older members. He had dragged poor Rodrigue into it who tried to get away but her dad had used the childhood friend card and Rodrigue could not say no. Rufus had joined in, obviously wanting to win against her dad but they seemed to be getting well much to Byleth’s surprise. Before long, the rest of the branch had decided to join in unofficially, including Byleth’s table which included Dimitri and his closest friends. Mercedes, surprisingly, could hold her liquor. Annette and Ashe, unsurprisingly, could not. 

Felix had challenged her to a drinking contest which Sylvain egged on, much to Ingrid’s chagrin. She had decided to humor the dark haired boy… without telling him that high tolerance to alcohol beverages was one of the things she inherited from her dad. She had won, of course, but Felix put on a good fight. She actually only won because Felix had looked like he was about to cry and Sylvain had intervened, taking Felix’ glass and helping the younger man back to his private room in the building. Dimitri confessed once Sylvain and Felix had left that Felix was a cryer when he was drunk and also quite clingy so Sylvain would probably not be back anytime soon. She was just pleasantly buzzed by then and noticed Dimitri haven’t drank at all. She didn’t ask though, thinking he was just one of those people who didn’t drink, like Dedue apparently. 

So, without any competition to win, she simply watched as the rest of the branch descend into chaos with Dimitri and Dedue. At eleven pm, Alois had started to visit each table and grant everyone one terrible pun. When he enlightened Byleth’s table with his terrible pun, Dimitri had laughed so much he started to wheeze. Sothis had stared at her with a look that could only mean “Really? Him? We picked him?” which Byleth just shrugged. At around one am, her dad had led the older members into singing in their drunken state. Annette had joined in and Ingrid tried to get her to sit back down with Mercedes clapping her hands to the beat, obviously only slightly tipsy. Ashe had fallen asleep on his chair and Dedue had to carry him out. Rodrigue and Rufus had started to cry in the middle of a scandalous song for some reason and Dimitri couldn’t stop laughing at the sight.

Byleth’s buzzed mind thought he had a nice laugh. 

The entire branch looked like they were shambling zombies the following day. Only Dimitri, Dedue, Mercedes and Byleth looked like they were normal functioning humans (Her dad being normal as ever does not count since he wasn’t part of the branch family anymore). Sylvain and Ingrid were dead on their feet, obviously due to lack of sleep. Felix looked like a really grumpy cat that was planning the destruction of the entire human race and Sylvain had to force him to keep drinking bottles of water which was funny to watch since it looked like an obviously tired owner trying to get his murderous cat to drink. Annette and Ashe kept downing cups of coffee like they were water just to function. Rufus didn’t even bother to go to his office that day and she heard Rodrigue was staying in the gazebo at the rooftop garden with a liter of tomato juice and a huge plate of bacon and eggs. 

Obviously, no work was done that day. Byleth, instead, helped Dimitri with the paperworks that Rufus was supposed to be doing. One stack was already a month old. 

More reason why Dimitri should be the head in Byleth’s opinion.

She visited Mercedes’ orphanage in Gaspard district as well which turned out to actually be a tax shelter for the family but Mercedes made sure everything was legit as well and all the orphans were taken care of. She was actually there with Dimitri to check the facility but that was done fast enough. Instead, she had spent the day watching Dimitri play soccer with the kids and acted as the referee for them while Mercedes and Dedue cook lunch. 

Later on, she would hear that the orphans who would not be adopted usually end up as members of the Faerghus branch. Cyril himself, Rhea’s young assistant, had stayed in the orphanage for a year before he was taken in by Rhea herself. 

It was during a very cold night when Byleth heard a door open and shut. Knowing that it was Dimitri’s frequent night walks, Byleth quickly put on the white furred coat Annette and Mercedes had included in her new wardrobe over her long sleeved white nightgown. Winter was fast approaching and the nights in Faerghus had turned colder than what Byleth was used to. She grabbed her card and phone before getting out of the comforts of her warm room, the door locking automatically as it closed behind her. 

The sudden sound of the door closing caused Dimitri to stop from walking and he turned around, blinking when he saw Byleth, “Miss? What are you doing up so late?”

What… was she doing?

Honestly? She was worried. She could hear Dimitri’s door open and close at the dead of night more often than not. She never hear him return until the sun was already up.

She… wanted to know where he was going. Was he sleeping somewhere else? Was he even sleeping in the first place?

But hearing her thoughts formed into words like that, Byleth realized that it could be considered rude to say all that. Their relationship was… strange. They weren’t friends, that much Byleth knew. Their position in the family would not allow that. As the next head of the family, Byleth couldn’t be seen favoring the next head of Fearghus branch. 

“I… couldn’t sleep…” Byleth said instead. It wasn’t a lie. She really couldn’t sleep since she had been waiting for Dimitri to open his door. Looking at him right now, she could see he wasn’t exactly dressed to leave for business. He had put on a warm dark brown jacket like her but he looked like he was just wearing black sweatpants and a simple white long sleeve shirt underneath. His black slippers wasn’t any better than her own fluffy light pink slippers. 

It was obvious he had been sleeping (or maybe trying to sleep?) when he decided to leave his room.

“I see.” A soft smile appeared on his face as he admitted, “I couldn’t sleep either.”

“Oh.” Byleth let out, unsure of what to say next. 

Thankfully, Dimitri saved her from thinking of something to say by asking, “Would you like to accompany me for a bit?”

Byleth stared at Dimitri for a moment before nodding. Dimitri’s smile grew and he led her to the elevator. They walked in comfortable silence and entered the elevator. Dimitri took out his card and placed it on the card reader before pressing the ‘R’ button on the elevator panel. The elevator quickly ascended and Dimitri led her to the rooftop garden once it opened.

She had only been in the garden in the middle of the day when she first came here. Ingrid had included it in the tour but they didn’t really stayed that long. At night, the garden held some kind of ethereal glow. 

The view below was breathtaking as well. Fhirdiad had always been beautiful at night in Byleth’s opinion and the glowing colorful soft lights lighting the district made it look like she was looking at a sea of colorful lamps. 

The garden itself was filled with the same colorful soft lights that seemed to be Fhirdiad’s signature look. The soft lights made it seem like the flowers were glowing in the dark, making the garden appear magical. As if it had been taken out a fairytale book. Dimitri and Byleth walked towards the center of the garden where there was a small gazebo quite similar to the one in Garegg Mach, only this one was wrapped in the vines of Wisteria. Bloomed Wisteria dangled all around the inside of the gazebo and a few of its blue-purple and white petals fluttered down like rain. Byleth could hear a soft sweet melody coming from somewhere and she looked around.

Dimitri seemed to know what she was looking for and he placed a hand on her lower back. That made Byleth turn to stare at him and he smiled as he pointed at the building to their right, explaining softly, “The music is coming from there. They have some kind of dancing room or something similar, I assume. They would play different kinds of dance music throughout the night.”

Dimitri leaned in as he whispered, “I still don’t know if it’s a dancing lesson in the middle of the night or maybe something similar to disco… only with non-disco songs?”

He leaned back and blushed, obviously embarrassed by his unusually unarticulated words. Byleth stared at the building as she confessed, “I’ve never danced before.”

“Oh?” Dimitri seemed surprised by that admission.

Byleth shrugged as she added, “Well, I use to play dance alone when I was young.”

Technically, she was dancing alone since her dancing partner was her imaginary friend.

Speaking of Sothis, the girl was oddly quiet. 

Byleth didn’t have time to talk to Sothis as Dimitri suddenly stepped in front of her. She tilted her head as she watched Dimitri fidget slightly, his ears red (maybe he was cold?), as he stared at Byleth. He stared at her for a second before exhaling softly, a small puff of cold air appearing by his lips. He smiled and offered his hand as he asked, “May I have this dance, Miss?”

Byleth’s cheeks reddened and she could say that it was definitely not because of the cold. She looked at Dimitri’s hand then back at Dimitri’s face. He was smiling but the more she stared, the more she saw that Dimitri was nervous. 

And worried…

He was worried she was going to say no. 

Her lips curved into a small smile that made Dimitri’s breath hitch and she placed her hand over his offered hand. She stared at the floor as she whispered, “I might step on you.”

“That’s quite alright.” Dimitri whispered back, sounding almost breathless. He gently pulled her towards him. He guided her free hand to rest by his shoulder before placing his other hand on her lower back. He raised their clasped hands until it was almost parallel to Byleth’s shoulder. Byleth shivered as Dimitri whispered, “Please look at me.”

Byleth raised her head and met Dimitri’s eyes staring intently at her. Such intensity should have made her uncomfortable but she… liked it. She didn’t know why but she did. Dimitri led her slowly, letting her get accustomed to the slow movements. When it seemed Byleth was getting the hang of the movement, Dimitri sped up to time their movement on the soft music coming from the building next to them. 

They danced in comfortable silence, letting the music dictate their movements in the gazebo, surrounded by the glowing flowers and the soft rain of petals from above. When the music changed to a slower tune, they slowed down as well, unknowingly stepping closer to one another. Under the spell of the slow music, they began to sway inside the gazebo, Byleth’s hands on his shoulders while his rested on her lower back.

“Father once told me that he used to dance with my mother in the garden of my childhood home.” Dimitri whispered, resting his forehead against Byleth’s forehead. He didn’t seem to realize what he was doing and Byleth didn’t stop him, “It was one of the few things he ever told me about my mother.”

“She never told you?” Byleth whispered back.

“I don’t remember her.” Dimitri admitted, “She died a few months after I was born. The only mother I ever knew had been my step-mother. She had been kind and made the best chocolate chip cookies.”

“She sounds wonderful.” 

“She was.” Dimitri agreed before continuing, “My birth mother though… sometimes I do wonder what it would have been like growing up with her. Father rarely talked about her, but when he did, his words made it clear that he loved her quite deeply.”

Dimitri stared at Byleth’s light green eyes as he remembered, “He told me he realized he was in love with my mother when they first danced. I didn’t understand back then how one dance could bring such powerful emotion.”

“And now?” Byleth whispered, her head tilting slightly. 

Dimitri’s eyes lowered towards her lips as he admitted, “I can understand it now, I think. This feeling of wishing for a moment to exist for eternity, for time to stop right now, at this very moment. Right now, if I had been asked to make a wish, it would be to stop time at this very second, with you in my arms.”

“Dimitri…” Byleth leaned forward.

And the music ended.

Dimitri stopped and leaned back, causing Byleth to freeze.

Dimitri’s lips curved into a small sad smile as whispered, “But no one can stop time. Just like no one can ever turn it back.”

Dimitri gently grasped her hands and rubbed them together with his as he whispered, “Your hands are cold. You must be freezing.”

Dimitri’s smile turned into his usual polite smile as he said, “We should go back inside. Please let me escort you back to your room.”

Byleth could only nod silently as Dimitri led her out of the garden.

Byleth never did find out what Dimitri did when he leaves in the middle of the night. She did start to join him whenever sleep eluded her as well, which turned out to happen more often than usual. They sometimes go to the shooting range or the gym but, most of the time, they went to the garden and sat inside the gazebo, either in comfortable silence or conversing about light topics. Byleth confessed about Sothis’ existence (but did not tell him that she could still see and hear Sothis) and how Sothis had been her only friend growing up, regardless of whether she was imaginary or not. Dimitri told her about his childhood with Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix. He even admitted how Felix had been such a cute child back then, clinging to him or Sylvain and crying over the silliest thing. (“Please do not tell him I told you about that. Felix would kill me.”)

They never danced again and Byleth was surprised at how disappointed she had been about that. 

But that night seemed to have broken a wall between them. Dimitri was still polite as ever but he smiled at her more and had began to touch her more. Never improperly though. It was mostly a hand on her back as he steered her to the right path or offering his hand for her to take when he thinks she may need assistance. Sometimes his touch would linger a bit too long to be appropriate but Byleth didn’t mind.

She… liked it. 

Byleth had even eaten in the dessert shop that Annette suggested in Galatea district with Annette, Mercedes and Ingrid just like they planned. Flayn had accompanied them as she was there that day to visit Byleth like she had made Byleth promise. Dimitri and Dedue had accompanied them as well and Sylvain barged in later with Ashe and they had dragged an annoyed Felix with them. When Felix said he didn’t like sweets, Annette and Flayn had made it their personal mission to find Felix a cake he would like. It got so heated they had video-called Lysithea from the Leicester branch for help. It became a huge ruckus when Lysithea came in person to lecture an annoyed Felix about the different types of cakes and all three girls had decided personally feeding him was the best way to get him to pick a cake. Sylvain had been torn between laughing at his childhood’s friend predicament and fake-sobbing on Ashe’s shoulder over how ‘jealous’ he was which made Ingrid sigh and roll her eyes while eating her sixth slice of cake. Mercedes had helped Annette with the cakes to give to Felix and would also offer some to Dedue who accepted them with a nod and ate silently. 

“Would you like some of mine, Miss?” Dimitri asked politely, offering his strawberry cheesecake that he had only taken one small slice off. Never one to say no to free food, Byleth had accepted the offer and started to eat the neglected cheesecake, not noticing the soft smile Dimitri had as he watched her eat. 

But Sothis noticed.

“He is interesting, isn’t he?” Sothis had commented one night while Byleth was changing to one of the warm long sleeved nightgown that Annette and Mercedes got her. Fhirdiad was beautiful at night but it was also unapologetically colder than Albinea. Byleth’s old clothes wouldn’t have been enough to combat the cold unless she wore at least half of it all at the same time. Sothis didn’t seem to mind Byleth’s silence as usual and continued, “Adorable and sweet, too.”

“He’s eighteen.” Byleth reminded her imaginary friend who had taken to lying on the bed on her back. 

“And legal.” Sothis added before scoffing. She waved her hand dismissively as she continued, “That’s probably the only thing legal about him considering this family.”

Byleth rolled her eyes and placed her discarded clothes in the laundry basket inside the bathroom. Sothis rolled to the other side of the bed, lying on her stomach. She raised her upper body and rested her chin on her hands as she mused, “And I’m not blind. I see how he looks at you.”

Byleth walked out of the bathroom, closing it behind her as she glared at Sothis, “Don’t.”

Sothis stared at her defiantly, swinging her legs, as she continued, “You are such a coward. Simply because you turn a blind eye doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

Byleth turned off the lights before walking towards the bed. She was exhausted and did not have time to indulge Sothis’ rambling. Felix was an entertaining sparring partner but he was also a bit too determined for her. He wouldn’t stop until he managed to get a win and Byleth never liked to lose so they had sparred until their muscles had ached and Mercedes had looked at them with disappointment as she treated them. 

Sothis stared at her as she lied on the bed next to her. She kept quiet while Byleth grabbed the covers and wrapped it around herself like some kind of cocoon before she turned to face Sothis. Sothis turned so she was lying on her side, facing Byleth as she whispered, “Would it be so hard to listen to what I am saying for once?”

“Not about this, Sothis.” Byleth whispered back, her eyelids growing heavy at the comforting warmth surrounding her, “Whatever we have, whatever this is, it… it’s not right.”

“Why? Who decided it is not right?” Sothis scooted closer and Byleth could imagine her warm breath against her face, “Who decided that we must not act on this? Why turn away from what could be a wonderful thing?”

“I’m the next head of Seiros and he’s the next head of Faerghus.” Byleth whispered back, finally succumbing the warmth around him as she closed her eyes, “It would promote favoritism. It wouldn’t be fair.”

And wasn’t that the funniest joke of all? When did she accepted her fate as the next head of Seiros? 

“But our aunt did not seem to mind the idea that our mother could have had a relationship with his father. And our dad is from Faerghus branch.” Sothis’ words lured her to sleep, soft and comforting, “As the next head, we can be selfish. We can choose.”

Byleth fell asleep without answering Sothis and neither of them talked about it again but there was nagging thought at the back of her head, whispering to her, sounding like her voice and not Sothis.

_ “What if?” _

But that was all it was. A small voice that was easily pushed away and ignored. They had more pressing issues like the supposedly black hooded person killing known members of the Seiros family. He was said to be working with the red hooded masked man as his personal killer. Someone had even coined him the name “Death Knight”.

“Sounds like someone has been playing too much D&D.” Sothis has snarked when they had heard the moniker. 

The entire family was on high alert, more so in Faerghus. 

So, of course, that was when Claude came in, looking like he belonged, and invited Byleth to Derdriu's famous beach. Byleth wanted to say no, especially considering the current situation but Rodrigue had pushed for it, saying a break would be a good idea since they had nothing to do but wait for more information from their contacts.

And that had been the end of that discussion. Byleth was whisked away with Dimitri by Claude while Dedue and Ingrid followed them. Sylvain heard about the beach and came along, dragging Ashe and Felix with him, while Mercedes and Annette were invited by Hilda. 

Before long, a long stretch of the beach was taken over by their group and Claude’s inner circle. Byleth met Lysithea once more who looked annoyed when she was introduced as the youngest. Byleth was introduced to a hulk of a man named Raphael who was apparently Claude’s brawn (“If Hilda’s unavailable” “Oh, Claude, you tease. Please don’t believe him, Miss, I’m a delicate flower.”) and a sweet young man named Ignatz who apparently has a lot of contacts in the black market (“Oh, they’re exaggerating. I only know a few and they mostly deal with stolen or counterfeit art.”). Claude also apparently had a nun (“she’s not officially a nun, she’s not ordained or anything.”) named Marianne in his inner circle who looked so gloomy Sothis wanted to wrap her in a blanket and give her Dedue’s delicious cocoa (the best cocoa she ever had in her entire life). The homeless shelter she ran was apparently also a tax shelter like Mercedes’ orphanage. 

Then there was Lorenz. His family was in charge of the Gloucester district, a high end shopping district that also had pricey condominiums for people with high salary. It was the most lucrative district that wasn’t under the Adestria branch. He was nice but he seemed to have a lot of comments about Claude’s ability (or his inability) to lead the Leicester branch. She wasn’t entirely sure why he was in Claude’s inner circle but they seemed to be friends? Byleth only had Sothis as her friend since she was young so she didn’t have enough experience to say otherwise.

But the most surprising of all was Leonie. She had met Leonie when they were just kids. Her dad had brought her to stay with them for a few weeks.

And it was a disaster.

She had never been with any kids before (or anyone near her age) and she still talked to Sothis out loud. Leonie thought she was weird. Sothis didn’t like being called weird and ordered Byleth to hit her. 

So she did.

Leonie hit back.

Then it ended with the two of them wrestling outside with Sothis egging Byleth on. When her dad finally got the two of them to stop, the two of them were covered in mud from head to toe. Leonie had a bite mark on her arm and a bruised eye. A few of Byleth’s hair had been ripped off and one of her teeth was wobbling inside her mouth.

After that, Leonie stayed far away from her and she did the same. When they eat together with her dad, they didn’t acknowledge each other. 

Sothis was absolutely overjoyed when Leonie left. Byleth would be older when she found out that Leonie’s father had been a hired killer as well and had died during a job. Her dad had taken her in for a bit while they looked for any living relatives. Maybe that was why she clung unto her dad back then. Sothis had been irked then and Byleth only watched silently as Leonie spent as much time with her dad during her short stay.

“Oh god. What do we say?!” Sothis hissed from behind Byleth. They didn’t really part as friends. 

“Crazy ghost.” Leonie greeted her with her childhood nickname (“It’s an insult!”) but Byleth could see the humor in her eyes and the slight upward curving of her lips.

“I beg your pardon?” Dimitri sounded so offended for Byleth that Sothis cooed at the adorable heir. Everyone were so surprised by Leonie’s greeting they couldn't say anything.

Byleth, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow as she greeted her with her own nickname in a deadpan tone, “Noisy stray.”

Leonie laughed and suddenly wrapped her arms around Byleth, much to her and Sothis’ surprise, “Oh man! I can’t believe it!”

Leonie stepped back and pinched Byleth’s cheeks as she grinned, “You haven’t changed at all, Crazy Ghost! Hell, your actual hair color makes you look more of a freaking ghost!”

Lorenz looked so scandalized by Leonie’s action while Dimitri looked as if he wasn’t sure if he should intervene or not. Byleth slapped her hands away as she replied in the same deadpan tone, “And I can’t believe you’re louder than you were before. How is that even possible?”

Everyone looked surprised at the familiarity between the two that it took a few seconds before Hilda could ask, “Leonie… you know Miss?”

Leonie grinned at Hilda as she replied, “Oh, yeah. I stayed with them for a bit when I lost my dad. I didn’t know Uncle Eis was actually Jeralt of the main family. Hell, I was so surprised when I saw the email and found out Uncle Eis’ weird kid was the next head!”

“Oh wow.” Annette looked so excited as she asked, “So the two of you are childhood friends?”

Leonie and Byleth turned to look at each other for a moment before turning their attention back to everyone else. 

“God no.”

“Never.”

They both replied at the same time, much to everyone’s confusion and Claude’s amusement. 

“We hated each other.” Leonie explained with a grin.

“She’s my childhood nemesis.” Byleth stated seriously with as much gravitas as she can. From behind her, Sothis crossed her arms and nodded seriously. 

They turned to look at one another then laughed again. Leonie patted her back as she said, “It’s good to see your dead face again, Crazy Ghost.”

Byleth smiled at her as she retorted, “And it’s good to hear your annoying voice again, Noisy Stray.” 

Leonie grinned as she said, “Careful. You might be the next head but I’ve been training hard. I can take you down now and you won’t be able to bite me this time, you cheat.”

Byleth snorted and crossed her arms as she replied, “Please. This time, you won’t even touch a single strand of my hair.”

Hilda stared at the two unsurely as she said, “I don’t really get it but they seem to be getting along?”

Claude laughed and said, “Hey, some friendships are like that. Right, Lorenz?”

“Please do not lump me with her, Claude.” Lorenz replied with a roll of his eyes.

“Anyway! What are we waiting for? Let’s hit the beach!” Sylvain suggested cheerfully, already dragging Felix and Ashe with him towards the shore. 

“Wait, Sylvain! We haven’t even changed yet!” Ashe shouted as he was dragged against his will.

That seemed to be the cue for everyone else to start having fun. The women dragged Byleth towards one of the cars they brought to change in private while the boys simply stripped at the beach itself.

Except Lorenz who went to a separate car to change privately.

The boys all wore swimming trunks with the exception of Lorenz who wore a speedo. Claude wore yellow swimming trunks with black stripes on the side while Raphael wore simple dark yellow swimming trunks. Ignatz wore dark green swimming trunks and an unbuttoned green and yellow hawaiian shirt with a big beach hat on his head. Sylvain wore black swimming trunks with a splash of red on the side while Felix’s swimming trunks was pure black. Ashe wore blue-grey swimming trunks and an unbuttoned simple off white shirt while Dedue wore a pair of light blue swimming trunks with white flowers designs (“Why?” “Mercedes bought them for me.” “... Oh.”) Dimitri wore dark blue swimming trunks and was the only one who wore a long sleeved shirt that was obviously not for swimming. The girls all wore different kinds of swimming attire in comparison to the boys. Byleth wore a simple white halter-top bikini that Mercedes and Annette had picked for her. Hilda wore a red triangle bikini with adorable big ribbons on the side which was in contrast with Lysithea’s simple dark violet one piece swimsuit. Mercedes wore a cream colored bow top and wrapped a light brown shawl around her waist while Annette wore an orange flounched top and boy shorts. Leonie wore a yellow tankini top and green shorts while Marianne wore a baby blue one piece with a skirt bottom. 

The day was filled with laughter and fun antics. Byleth almost forgot that the young people she was with were members of the most dangerous organized crime syndicate in Fodlan. 

Ignatz made beautiful sand sculptures which Hilda decorated with beautiful shells Leonie had picked up for her. Claude managed to rope Lorenz into a game of beach volleyball and Sylvain got Felix to join them. Sylvain and Lorenz didn’t stand a chance against Claude who seemed to always know where the ball was going to fall to and Felix who played like it was an Olympic championship. Ingrid and Lysithea disappeared for a while with Dedue and when they came back, they had a table full of food. Ashe managed to get Marianne to help him cover Raphael in sand and Ignatz lent his hat to cover Raphael’s face. Annette and Mercedes took Byleth towards the short end of the water and they splashed each other, much to Byleth’s amusement. Before long, Sylvain had joined in the splashing and the three women ganged up on him. Felix joined in and threw Sylvain into the deeper end of the shore, much to everyone’s enjoyment. Before long, everyone decided to join in. Ashe felt bad for Sylvain being ganged up on so he decided to help him. Marianne, surprisingly, took his side as well. Lorenz also sided with Sylvain as it is his duty to save the weak (“hey!”) and Leonie took the opportunity to try and wet Byleth as much as possible. Byleth, of course, took it as a challenge and led the anti-Sylvain party. Claude found it fun to lead the “help Sylvain out, poor guy” party much to Lorenz’s annoyance. Before long, it had devolved into chaos with Felix and Byleth being the only one trying to splash Sylvain while Leonie backed him up. Mercedes and Annette were getting waves and waves of water from Hilda and Lysithea so she asked Dedue for help who had been watching them together with Dimitri by the shores. Dedue had looked at Dimitri who smiled and nodded at him. Taking that as his permission, Dedue rushed to Mercedes’ aid, blocking a wave of water meant for her. With Dedue as their personal shield, Mercedes and Annette started retaliating against Hilda and Lysithea. Lysithea tried to get Raphael as their own shield but he was too busy eating the food they brought. 

The entire trip ended with them creating a bonfire by the time the sun had begun to set. Someone had managed to bring a speaker to play music on and more food had been brought from somewhere. Byleth thought she saw an unmarked black car for a moment before the food arrived but she wasn’t sure. Claude had gotten Hilda to dance with him which got Lorenz to ask Marianne for a dance. Ingrid was roped into a dance by Sylvain and Felix was, unsurprisingly, tag-teamed into a three way dance by a cheerful Annette and Lysithea. Before long, the trio managed to get Ashe to join them into a strange four-way dance of some kind. Raphael stayed on the side to eat. Leonie and Ignatz paired up to dance as well and Mercedes managed to get Dedue to dance with her. 

Watching them dance made Byleth remember that night in the rooftop garden. Dimitri seemed to have had the same idea because, when she turned to look at him, his eyes were already trained at her. Dimitri’s cheeks reddened and he made his way towards her. Unknown to them, everyone but Raphael (who was busy eating) and Felix (who really didn’t care) were trying to unsubtly look their way. The only one who actually had the subtlety to stare without being seen was Claude. 

Dimitri stopped right in front of him and opened his mouth. He stopped before he made any sounds though and Byleth tilted her head in question. Dimitri took a breath before asking instead, “Would you like to join me for a walk, Miss?”

Byleth would be lying if she said she wasn’t surprised by the question but, at the same time, a part of her had expected it. 

The dance they had in the rooftop garden was special, a one time event that could never be repeated. 

At the thought of that, Byleth understood Dimitri’s feeling that night… that feeling of wanting to stop time at that precise moment. 

But no one can stop time and all they could do was move forward.

So she simply nodded at Dimitri’s request and let him lead her away from the rest. Neither of them saw the different degrees of disappointment on everyone’s face. But then again, no one also saw Claude stare at Dimitri’s back with a quiet nod. 

They spent their walk in comfortable silence, keeping a relaxed pace as the music from their bonfire slowly disappeared from their hearing. With the only light source coming from their faraway bonfire and the streetlights on the road next to the beach, there was a feeling of mystery and privacy. Byleth wasn’t sure why there was no other people on the beach but she guessed that the Leicester branch pulled some strings because, while it did not have the soft colorful lights of Fhirdiad, Derdriu's beach at night was still breathtaking in her eyes. 

She couldn’t help but stop to look at the vast ocean, feeling the cold waves caress her bare feet before returning to where it once came from. The light blue shawl that Mercedes brought with her for her was enough to fight off the cold breeze of Derdriu. It was already winter but the breeze in Derdriu did not have the same harsh coldness as the one in Fhirdiad. 

It was almost strange to believe that Derdriu and Fhirdiad were from the same city. 

“Miss.” Dimitri’s voice halted her musing and she turned to face him. The wind caressed her hair and she tucked a few of them behind her ear to stop them from covering her face. 

Dimitri had stopped in front of her, staring at her with a determined look in his eyes. 

Byleth’s heart skipped a beat. 

Dimitri took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He exhaled slowly before opening his eyes. The same determination was still present in his eyes but there was a hint of something else that Byleth couldn’t identify. 

“Please forgive me if I have misunderstood you or if I have made you uncomfortable.” Dimitri apologized first, making Byleth confuse but she kept quiet, listening as Dimitri continued, “However, I… I talked… I mean…”

Dimitri looked flustered as he tried to continue, “I mean… what I wanted to say is… we… you see…”

“Oh my. Is he? He is!” Sothis whispered from behind Byleth, her hands on Byleth’s shoulders as she watched with glee at the poor flustered man in front of them.

Byleth, on the other hand, was frozen. She knew what Dimitri was attempting but she wasn’t sure what suddenly brought this on. 

Why now?

And what could she even say if Dimitri did finish? 

“What I’m trying to say is-” Dimitri closed his eyes and groaned, obviously frustrated by his own rambling. He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. He lowered his hand and stared at Byleth seriously.

Byleth’s heart was beating so fast she feared it would leap out of her chest. She could feel Sothis’ excitement and nervousness from behind her.

“The truth is…” Dimitri started, his eyes staring intently at Byleth, “I don’t love you.”

… 

“WHAT?!” Sothis screeched from behind Byleth and she jumped on Byleth’s back, almost as if she was about to throttle Dimitri.

“Oh.” Byleth only managed to say, unsure how to reply to that. 

She… was disappointed.

… and she could feel pain in her chest she has never felt before.

“I’m so sorry, that came out wrong!” Dimitri immediately said, seeing the sad look on Byleth’s face as she looked away from Dimitri. He took a step forward and grabbed Byleth’s hand, “What I mean is that I’m not in love with you-”

Byleth closed her eyes at those words.

“Oh, sure. Keep repeating it, you dumb noodle head!” Sothis shouted, outstretching her arms as if to grab Dimitri and strangle him.

“But I am falling in love with you!” Dimitri shouted, making Byleth open her eyes and look at Dimitri with wide surprised eyes. His entire face was red. Even his ears were red but he looked at Byleth unwaveringly as he confessed, “Ever since I saw you smile, I have been falling deeply, madly in love with you. There is never a day where I never thought of a way to make you smile.” 

Byleth could feel her cheeks warm as Dimitri continue and Sothis looked like she was torn between wanting to deck Dimitri or hug him (even though she wouldn’t be able to do both), “And I… I know that our position in the family is reason enough for me to keep quiet about my growing feelings for you but I… Cl- I mean… I…”

Dimitri seemed lost on what to say next, looking at the sand beneath them. Byleth stared at him as he looked conflicting on what he should say next. Byleth turned the hand he had in his grasp so that she could intertwined their fingers, making Dimitri raise his head to stare at Byleth. Byleth’s lips curved into a small smile that made his breath hitch and she confessed, “I don’t love you too.”

Dimitri blinked as he uttered a sad “Oh.”

“How does that feel?!” Sothis shouted from behind Byleth.

“But I am falling in love with you too.” Byleth continued and her smile grew as Dimitri’s eyes widened.

“Oh.” Dimitri uttered again but his tone was now more surprised and a bit delighted.

“And I understand that our position would be compromised if we were to pursue a relationship.” Byleth took Dimitri’s other hand gently, staring at them as she confessed, “So I thought the same as you. I thought… I should just bury this feeling of mine far deep inside me.”

“Miss…” Dimitri whispered, staring at her.

Byleth chuckled as she commented, “Then you just had to confess in your own dumb way and I… I can’t…”

Byleth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and turned to stare at Sothis as she admitted, “I can’t keep silent if there is a possibility that we could have a future together.”

Sothis nodded at her.

Byleth turned to face Dimitri and smiled softly at him as she asked, “Being the next head of our respective family… that’s far away for now, right? So why not… Why not see where this goes? There’s still time. We don’t have to… think about the future right now.”

“Yes.” Dimitri replied in a dazed manner. His lips formed into a sweet eager smile as he repeated, “Yes! That’s what I want as well!”

Byleth’s smile grew as well at the sight of Dimitri’s bright smile, “Then it’s decided? We’ll try?”

“Yes!” Dimitri affirmed, nodding at her. His blush returned as he asked, “Does that- I mean- this might be too forward since we just- but-”

Byleth tilted her head slightly as she waited for Dimitri to continue, “I would like to ask you out… on a date… on Valentine’s day…”

“Oh my! Our first date!” Sothis commented gleefully, placing her hands on her reddened cheeks. 

“I would love to.” Byleth agreed with reddened cheeks. 

“Then tomorrow night? I’ll make us a reservation or perhaps you’d prefer the opera? I’m sure I can ask Edelgard to give us tickets. It might be short notice but I am sure-”

“That’s tomorrow?” Byleth asked, frowning slightly.

“Yes, is…” Dimitri faltered, “Is something the matter?”

“Seteth texted me to ask if I could join them for dinner tomorrow.” Byleth admitted. 

“Oh.”

Seeing Dimitri’s sad face, Byleth suggested, “I could text him no. I mean, I’ve never eaten dinner with them yet so I think he would assume that I’m not ready for it.”

“But you are ready.” Dimitri said, smiling at her, “You’ve gotten close to them this past months and I’m sure Flayn would be happy to have you join them.”

“But…” Byleth pursed her lips, unsure on how to tell Dimitri that, yes, she was growing fond of the main family (even Rhea with her intense staring), but she wanted to spend Valentine’s Day with Dimitri as well. It wasn’t like they could spend it during the daytime since they would be busy with their duties.

“Please, we will have other days.” Dimitri urged but Byleth could see he wasn’t exactly ecstatic over this. 

“After.” Byleth and Sothis said at the same time. Dimitri blinked at the sudden outburst and Byleth continued, “After dinner. It might be late for a restaurant or an opera but after dinner, we can…”

Byleth’s lips curved into a shy smile as she asked, “Maybe… we can dance again?”

Dimitri’s eyes widened for a moment before his lips erupted into a huge bright smile, “Yes, absolutely! I would love to dance with you once more!”

“Good.” Byleth nodded, smiling sweetly at Dimitri, “Then… tomorrow?” 

Dimitri nodded, his smile turning soft as he tightened his grip on Byleth’s hands as he repeated, “Yes. Tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said the paralogues are extra stories but please read the last paralogue for this chapter. It's actually a continuation that did not make it to the main story as it's set in Dimitri's POV
> 
> More Notes:
> 
> Dance on the Rooftop Garden: The Berkut/Rinea vibe was a coincidence. I only wanted to have an excuse for them to dance because it’s not fair Claude was the only one who got to dance with Byleth in the game (it should have been whichever Lord you picked, dammit!)
> 
> Hangover Cure: Okay, so me and [eisneriegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan) actually talked about what to give Rodrigue. She suggested ginger tea while I wanted tomato juice. I won because I thought Rodrigue gouging on bacon and eggs with tomato juice is funnier but they are both hangover cures. Coffee is not. Please do not be like those two cinnamon rolls and drink coffee. Please drink water instead.


	7. Crimson Mist (PARALOGUE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra stories set in Chapter 4: Crimson Mist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the PARALOGUE chapter of Crimson Mist (Ch4)  
These are extra stories set in Chapter 4. Please read that first before this (especially the last PARALOGUE as it is set after Ch4)

* * *

Paralogue: A Chained Existence

(Scene set: during one of the times Byleth is having tea with the Seiros family)

Lambert’s boy found him while Byleth was having tea with the main family. Jeralt wasn’t sure what he should feel about how this boy who seemed to always be with his daughter. On one hand, he was a Blaiddyd and it was obvious that he took his daughter’s safety seriously. On the other hand, he was Lambert’s son and Lambert was an ambitious charismatic dumbass who was both the main driving force of the best and worst choices Jeralt has ever done.

“Sir Jeralt.” Lambert’s boy greeted him with the same polite nod Lambert used to give. 

“Dimitri.” Jeralt greeted back, not moving from his position next to the pillar. In front of them, Byleth was listening to Flayn talk about something that had Seteth frowning and Rhea softly chuckling.

“I would like to talk to you privately if possible.” Dimitri asked politely, his hands behind his back.

Oh, Jesus. The boy moved just as fast as Lambert, that’s for sure. 

Jeralt wasn’t blind. He could see the boy had feelings for his daughter. Hell, everyone and their mother could see it from a mile away. The only one who didn’t seem to see it was his own daughter, bless her. Jeralt knew that the possibility that his daughter would have someone special just like he had Rhosyn before could happen. Hell, he knew that the possibility that his daughter could easily decide she liked being alone more could easily be true as well. From the way his daughter acted around Lambert’s boy, it was obvious that the first possibility was more or less about to become a reality.

That didn’t mean he wanted to actually help Lambert’s boy in making it a reality ‘faster’.

“I can’t leave my post.” Jeralt tried, knowing it was pretty much a lost cause. 

“This is private enough.” The boy announced, taking a step forward so he was close enough that they could speak quietly to one another without having to whisper.

Oh god. Jeralt was not ready for this.

“I heard from Miss that you are a hired killer.” was definitely not what Jeralt thought Dimitri was going to say.

Jeralt finally turned to look at Dimitri and saw the rage in his blue eyes.

“I was.” Jeralt stated, keeping still. Dimitri was close enough that Jeralt could quickly deck him if needed. However, he remembered Lambert’s freakish (un)natural strength and he would bet his secret stash of imported brandy that Dimitri had the same strength. For now, he would have to go along whatever Dimitri was trying to do and find out where that rage was coming from, “It’s pretty much the only thing I’m good at back when I was in the family so I used it to make sure Byleth has everything she could ever need.”

“Then would you happen to know anything about the drive-by shootout four years ago?”

Four years ago…

This fucker… 

Jeralt grabbed Dimitri by the collar, dragging him right in front of his face as he hissed, ‘You fucking dumbass. You think that _ I _ would have a hand in Lambert’s death?!”

“I don’t know if you did.” Dimitri stated coldly, not even bothered by the obvious hostility Jeralt was showing, “I don’t know anything about you other than you knew my father and Rodrigue. I don’t even know why you left. Maybe if you hadn’t left-”

Dimitri stopped abruptly, obviously not meaning to say that much. Jeralt’s grip lessened as he finally understood where the anger was coming from. Jeralt pushed him gently away and he rubbed his face as he mumbled, “Jesus Christ, kid.”

Dimitri stared at him silently and Jeralt sighed. He kept his eyes trained on Byleth who was now talking to Rhea about something that has Rhea smiling softly at her. 

How much should he reveal?

Shit.

He guessed he owed Lambert’s son the truth. Knowing that dumbass, he probably never bothered to leave a letter or some shit explaining their… relationship. 

“Rhosyn wanted to leave.” Jeralt admitted, noticing that Dimitri seemed surprised by the randomness of Jeralt’s sudden admission, but he paid it no mind as he continued, “We were going to leave but Rhea found out she was pregnant and she… She was overjoyed. Rhea can’t have any kids.”

That made Dimitri turn to stare at Rhea, watching the older woman smile gently at Byleth as he listened to Jeralt, "Once Rhea found out, shit went downhill from there. Rhea became too invested over our child. Hell, she's the one who wanted to name our daughter Sothis after their mother. When Rhosyn died in childbirth, Rhea wasted no time naming _ our kid _ her heir.”

“I fucking snapped.” Jeralt admitted, remembering the anger and pain he had felt back then, “I just lost the woman I love and her own fucking sister just went up and painted a fucking target on our child.”

“I wanted to kill her. I thought… if Rhea dies now, no one in their right mind would name a baby the heir. Seteth would have to take over and our daughter would be safe. I almost did try to.” Jeralt turned to look at Dimitri and gave him a sad smile as he continued, “Then Lambert found out and chained me to a radiator.” 

“He what?” Dimitri’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe his own father would do such a thing.

“Yeah.” Jeralt chuckled as he remembered, “Fucking kicked me on the back of my head with his brutish strength. I clocked out immediately. The next thing I know, I was chained to a radiator and your mother looked like she was crying a god damn river because I apparently won’t wake up no matter how much she shook me.”

“Mother…” Dimitri whispered. He never knew his mother. An illness took her life a few months after he was born. As far as he knew, the only mother he ever knew had been his step mother.

“I tried to get her to let me go but she said Lambert asked her to keep me there and make sure I stay alive.” Jeralt sighed and sadly continued, “I thought he was getting Rhea. Shit. I thought he was getting the entire branch family to kill me. I was planning on killing the head of the family. That’s the kind of thing that gets you into Faerghus’ kill list.”

“When morning came, Lambert came. He was… he smelled like smoke.” Jeralt took a deep breath before continuing, his voice cracking, “He told me there had been a fire in Garreg Mach. He told me that… that my daughter was dead.”

Dimitri could only stare at Jeralt. He didn't understand. If his daughter was dead then… who was Byleth?

“I screamed at him. I tried to rip his throat off with my teeth but the god damn chains kept me there, just a few feet away from him.” Jeralt took a deep breath before continuing, regaining his composure, “That’s how Rhea found me. Lambert apparently told her that he knew I would take the news horribly so we chained me to the radiator before giving me the news. He was right. When I saw Rhea, I told her this was her fault, that my daughter was dead because of her. I even told her I wanted to break her neck.”

Dimitri was now surprised that Jeralt was even still alive after threatening their head. Rhea was not known to take kindly to those who insult or threaten her. Jeralt seemed to understand what Dimitri was thinking as he explained, “Rhea didn’t kill me because I think she knew I was grieving. Or maybe Seteth helped. I don’t know. All I know is that when I left the next day, no one stopped me.”

Jeralt took a deep breath before continuing, “I was in Almyra when Lambert came to see me a month later. I knew he knew where I was but I… I didn’t expect him to come. Last time I saw him, I said a lot of… things I wished I could take back.”

“But then he was there, inside my goddamn home like he lived there…” Jeralt’s eyes watered as he continued, “Holding Byleth in his arms.”

Dimitri could only stare as Jeralt continued, “That fucking bastard planned the whole thing. He didn’t tell me anything because he wanted me to fucking break down. I know it was so Rhea would believe I didn’t have a hand on it but I hated him. I hated him for putting me through that. I hated him for making me believe I had lost my daughter just a few days after I lost my wife. I hated him for hiding Byleth from me. I hated him for waiting a fucking month.”

“And I…” Jeralt turned to look at Dimitri and admitted with a soft sad smile, “I love him for pulling that insane plan all by himself. That fucking dumbass thought of this crazy plan in just a few hours and did all these shit by himself. I know he did it all himself because, if he had told Rodrigue, Rodrigue would have stopped him.”

Jeralt looked away and wiped his eyes before continuing, “He told me to get as far away from Fodlan as soon as I can and gave me a bag full of cash. He even had fake passports for both me and Byleth.” 

“And I went.” Jeralt stared at his daughter, “I took the cash and my daughter and left. I never contacted him and he never contacted me. Not even when I bought a home in Albinea ten years later. He risked everything to save my daughter and I… we both knew that the only way she could be safe is by keeping her away from anything related to Seiros. And that included Lambert. That… that was the last time I saw Lambert.”

“So the only reason why I’m not beating the crap out of you for implying that I, of all people, would fucking have a hand in Lambert’s death is the fact that you…” Jeralt turned to glare at Dimitri, “... that you’re that idiot’s kid but, I swear to god, if you ever say shit like that again, I will punch your face so hard my daughter wouldn’t be able to see you smile for months.”

Dimitri stared at Lambert silently for a few seconds before turning away. He looked on the ground as he whispered, “I’m sorry.” 

Jeralt sighed and said, “I understand where you’re coming from, kid. Believe me. Hell, I’ve been asking around my contacts when I was a hired killer to see if they know anything.”

Dimitri turned to stare at him once more and asked, “And?”

“Nothing yet.” Jeralt admitted, “I still haven’t exhausted all my options though.”

“That’s good.” 

That… was a weird thing to say.

Jeralt stared at Dimitri as the younger man commanded, “Tell me if you find anything.”

Oh shit.

He knew that look. Hell, he's been on the receiving end of such look a couple of times now.

"Kid, I know it's not my place to say this but, if you let this need for revenge dictate your life, you'll just suffer in the end." Jeralt stated seriously. 

"I don't care about my life.” There was no denying the rage in Dimitri’s voice and the madness slowly leaking into his eyes as he proclaimed, “The dead will have their tribute." 

* * *

  
  


PARALOGUE: A Schemer’s Musing

(Scene set: during the chaos that is the War of the Water)

Claude managed to finally get away from all the splashing but he was thoroughly wet. His black and yellow swimming trunks were clinging to him uncomfortably and he was already feeling the effects of the sunburn creeping onto his skin.

God, Hilda was going to have a field day when he asks for her help in treating his sunburn later.

He was just glad he knew Raphael was in the same boat as him. 

And it wasn’t even his fault that he forgot to put on sunblock. Hilda had taken every bottle then all the girls started applying them. 

Including the gorgeous Lady Byleth Seiros…

Dear god. No one in their right mind would have been able to remember to apply sunblock after seeing her apply sunblock all over, making her skin glisten under the sun in her white bikini.

Poor Dimitri had almost tripped on his way to the area where they had set up the blanket and the beach umbrella. 

Speaking of his fellow heir…

Dimitri had opted to sit on the blanket, underneath the umbrella. He wore a light long sleeved shirt and plain dark blue swimming trunks that went past his knees.

Oh man, just looking at him made Claude sweat.

And those obvious puppy-love heart eyes he kept making for Milady was both adorable and kinda pathetic.

Seeing that he was alone, Claude walked towards him. He smiled as he stopped in front of Dimitri, covering his view of Milady which earned him a small frown, and put his hands on his waist. He could feel both beads of water and his own sweat against his palms but paid it no mind as he asked, “What are you doing here all on your lonesome, your princeliness?”

Claude stepped to the side as he teased, “Don’t you want to play with the others?”

Dimitri’s eyes immediately trained to Milady’s form and, because Claude couldn’t help himself, he added, “I’m sure Milady wouldn’t mind getting wet because of you.”

Dimitri, bless him, realized what Claude was implying and became so red he looked like he was having a heatstroke as he shouted, “Claude!”

Claude chuckled and shook his head, making Dimitri grimace as drops of water flew off Claude’s hair reminding Dimitri of a wet dog shaking his entire body. Once he felt like he was dry enough, Claude sat next to Dimitri and watched as everyone else have fun in the water. 

Milady was instructing Felix to flank Leonie who was still guarding Sylvain. Not that she liked Sylvain, nah. Leonie had always been a competitive person and it seemed like Milady was her… rival?

“But seriously, Dimitri. You should get in there.” Claude commented, leaning back and letting his palms keep him steady, “I’m sure Milady could really use your help in drowning Sylvain.”

Dimitri chuckled as he retorted, “I’m sure Felix is doing a wonderful job all by himself.”

Claude may have been looking at everyone but he noticed Dimitri pull on his left sleeve. He tilted his head slightly so he could observe Dimitri without being too obvious and noticed something that was usually hidden by Dimitri’s impeccable suits. 

There was an ugly scar peeking through the collar of his shirt. 

An ugly scar of a healed bullet wound… 

Oh. 

Claude almost wanted to hit himself for forgetting an important fact about Dimitri. 

Members of Faerghus branch were all well known for having scarred bodies. Just looking at Sylvain and Dedue would attest to that. Hell, Ingrid had a scar on her back. It wasn’t that obvious because it had already healed but, if one looked hard enough, they would see the risen part of her skin where the scar was still visible. 

Not that Claude was staring at Ingrid’s back.

… much.

Mercedes and Annette had mostly unblemished skin but that was mainly because they weren’t exactly front liners. Felix had a lot of small scars that weren’t that deep since it was well known that Fraldarius men were lithe and quick sons of bitches.

They wear it with pride. The men and women of Faerghus saw their scars as medals or badges for their branch and the main family.

Claude never really understood the loyalty of the Faerghus branch but, then again, the Seiros family had always been a bit strange for him.

But Dimitri’s scars…

They were different.

Most of Dimitri’s scars were from four years ago. 

A constant reminder of what he had survived… of the day he lost his parents and a close friend… 

Claude rubbed the back of his head, unsure on how to proceed now that he remembered why Dimitri kept wearing long sleeves. He felt like a jerk now for inviting everyone to the beach.

Then again, has Dimitri never heard of this awesome invention called a swim shirt? Lots of surfers wear it. They even have long sleeved version of it.

… Nope.

Claude couldn’t picture Dimitri surfing at all.

He was just about to ask if Dimitri surfs (he probably doesn’t) when he noticed that Milady had been glancing at them.

No.

She was glancing at Dimitri. 

Claude’s lips curved into a grin as he started, “So, you and Milady, huh?”

“Me and Miss?” Dimitri’s brows furrowed as he stared at Claude.

“Oh, come on. You’re not an idiot.” Claude shrugged as he added lightheartedly, “Dumb, yes. Idiot, no.”

“I feel like you just insulted me but I can’t be quite sure.” Dimitri commented with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Not an insult, I promise.” Claude defended before explaining, “I just mean that you’re not an idiot to not realize that Milady obviously like you.”

Dimitri’s cheeks reddened once more and he turned away from Claude, staring at the blanket underneath them as he mumbled, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Claude snorted before he patted Dimitri on the back twice. Once Dimitri turned to look at him, Claude said, “Everyone can see the two of you making lovey-dovey eyes at each other. Hilda’s words, not mine.”

“I highly doubt that.” Dimitri mumbled.

“Please. There’s an online bet. Lysithea set it up.” Claude revealed, making Dimitri’s eyes widened, “Hell, most of the bet came from the Faerghus branch. I didn’t even know Felix’s old man had that much money.”

“What?” Dimitri’s voice had turned into a higher pitch, making Claude grin wider.

“Oh yeah. I bet on Valentine’s day, by the way which is tomorrow, now that I think about it.” Claude confessed without a shed of remorse, “So help me out and kiss her then?”

“Unless…” Claude leaned forward, his grin turning devilish as he whispered, “Have you kissed her already?”

Dimitri’s entire face became red and Claude knew he hadn’t but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to milk this for all it’s worth and tried to remember the lines from one of Hilda’s trashy romantic paperbacks, “Oh, Dimitri, you sly dog. Have you tasted those luscious lips-”

“Stop that, Claude!” Dimitri ordered and started, “Miss isn’t a piece of meat for you to lust over. She’s a beautiful wonderful lady that deserves your respect. Sure, she usually don’t express what she feels-”

Claude could see Dimitri descend into rambling, his eyes glowing and a bright smile etched on his face. It was like watching a train about to crash.

“- but that actually makes her look like one of those beautiful porcelain dolls. However, she has such a mesmerizing smile! It always feels like I have won something when I see her smile.”

Claude was loving every second of it.

“And she is kind and attentive. She tries to help out as much as she can even when she doesn’t even know a lot of how we operate. But! She’s a fast learner as well. Just the other day, she managed to finish my uncle’s two-week stack in under an hour! Rodrigue checked and it was perfect.”

Oh god. He was still going.

“Miss will definitely be a great head when the time comes!” Claude frowned when Dimitri’s smile fell and his eyes lost its brightness as he continued, “When that time comes…”

“I will be Dimitri of the Faerghus Branch.” Dimitri admitted softly, “Of a branch family…”

Was he… for serious?

Claude suddenly felt like he was a supporting character for one of Hilda’s trashy romance paperbacks. 

“Come on, Dimitri.” Claude patted his back again before continuing, “Just because she’s gonna become our head doesn’t mean what you feel for each other will change.”

Dimitri shook his head before saying, “It’s not that easy, Claude. She cannot be seen to favor one branch from another. The last time that happened, Faerghus branch separated from Adrestia. Who knows what ramifications could occur if we do… pursue a relationship.”

Ah. The infamous Loog… 

Claude only knew a bit of it, of course..

Loog had a tryst with the head of the main family (hell, the head back then called Loog his “precious lion” and some even says it wasn’t a tryst but an actual honest to god secret relationship) and the head of Adrestia branch took that as a move to take over the branch family. Loog and those loyal to him pushed to be removed from Adrestia which the main family agreed to. Thus, the Faerghus branch was born and Adrestia branch’s relationship with the main family and Faerghus branch started to strain. Adrestia shouted “favoritism!” and Faerghus shouted “no shit!” back while the main family just watch it on the couch eating popcorn like it wasn’t their problem. 

It was much more dramatic and soap opera worthy, Claude was sure, but he was pretty sure that was the cliff notes.

“Then why don’t you just become part of the main family?” Claude suggested nonchalantly.

“What?!” Dimitri looked at Claude as if he had just told Dimitri Santa wasn’t real.

“Jeralt did it, right?” Claude reminded him, “The way I see it, you can just relinquish your claim on Faerghus and join her as a Seiros. I mean, think about it. If you guys do marry, it’s not like she’s going to take your name.”

“Marr- Wha- I-”

Dimitri looked like he was just a step away from a heart attack so Claude _ slightly _ backtracked, “Okay, okay, I mean, you guys haven’t been on a date yet but you gotta think about the future too. Come on, you two are obviously falling in love. Everyone can see it. We’re all just waiting for the ball to drop.”

Claude stared at Dimitri seriously as he asked, “Don’t you think you guys owe it to each other to at least try and see where this goes?”

Dimitri looked down once more as he mumbled, “A Blaiddyd has always led Faerghus.”

“Your uncle is a Blaiddyd.” Claude reminded him.

Dimitri’s lips curved into a small smile as he commented, “Yeah, I guess he is.”

Claude leaned back again as he said, “I’m not saying you have to propose to her already. Just, you know, actually go on a date with her? And ask her out right. Milady looks like the type of person who could easily mistake a date for a simple get together as friends. Especially if it came from you…”

Dimitri chuckled and said, “Maybe.”

Claude grinned and commented, “The way I see it, it’ll be far off before she even becomes the head. Why not use the time you guys have to actually check if you guys can work? If you guys don’t, well, she’ll become part of the main family and any awkwardness between you would be limited. If it does work…”

Claude turned towards Dimitri and said softly, “Then I’ll be happy for you guys. You two deserve to be happy.”

“Claude.” Dimitri stared at Claude for a few minutes in silence before turning away. A soft smile appeared on his face as he said, “Yes. I suppose… there is no harm in trying…”

“Atta boy!” Claude patted him on the back and, this time, he moved his arm to rest on Dimitri’s other shoulder, pulling the other man closer to him, “So? Any plans? When are you going to ask her? You can totally kiss her on your first date too, you know? The way the two of you have been eyeing each other, it would just be torture not to kiss her after.” 

“Not Valentine’s day, that’s for sure.” Dimitri commented with a deadpan tone, much to Claude’s surprise.

“Oh, come on, man!” Claude shouted but he laughed. Dimitri laughed as well and that made Claude smile as he turned his attention back to the beach.

He didn’t know if the two would actually work but he knew that the way they were staring at each other, the way they acted around each other, if they weren’t in love yet, they sure as hell were falling fast. 

And if it did work, if Dimitri renounces his claim as head of Faerghus branch and joins Milady in the main family… 

Well then, that would certainly work in his favor now, wouldn’t it?

* * *

PARALOGUE: An End To An Incomplete Dream

(Scene set: The Night of Valentine’s Day, while Byleth is having dinner with the main family)

Dimitri knew that everyone noticed he was being strange. The entire day, he and Byleth had tried to act normal around each other but they kept smiling at one another and that made Dedue smile (as Dimitri had confessed to his close friend what has happened and had asked for his help in making sure everything was perfect for tonight) and Ingrid had looked at them with confusion. His smile seemed to have irritated Felix and the younger man had left early on, probably checking Fraldarius and Gautier districts right about now. Mercedes seemed to have an idea of what was happening (damn it, Dedue) but she apparently kept quiet as Annette seemed to be just as confused as Ingrid but happy nonetheless at seeing her friends smile so much. Ashe was just as confused as Annette and Ingrid but he seemed to have taken it in stride and simply smiled back. 

He thanked his lucky stars that Sylvain was away, having a busy ‘schedule’ for today. (The man was always busy during Valentine’s day to no one’s surprise)

When Byleth had left with Alois to have dinner with the main family, Dedue and Ingrid had to watch Dimitri stand outside, just… staring… with a smile on his face until Rodrigue had to come down personally to call him back in.

Just a few more hours… 

Ingrid had excused herself a while ago and Dedue had left to make sure everything was set up in the rooftop garden. 

This… this has to be perfect.

More perfect than their first dance…

“Nephew.” Rufus called out with a sigh, watching as Dimitri just stare at the paperwork in front of him with a bright smile. It was about the dwindling profits of Cornelia’s latest goods so Rufus was sure that wasn’t what has gotten his nephew smiling, “Just… just go.”

“Pardon?” Dimitri finally turned to look at Rufus with wide eyes.

“It’s obvious that your mind is elsewhere.” Rufus rolled his eyes at Rodrigue’s glare from the other side of the office, “Rodrigue and I can finish the urgent paperworks for tonight. Go and prepare for your date with Lady Byleth.”

“Wha- I- Who said anything about a date?!” Dimitri spluttered, making Rodrigue shake his head and Rufus sigh.

“Because we are not blind, nephew.” Rufus explained, “Just make sure your first kiss with her is in a car.”

“Rufus!” Rodrigue scolded before suggesting, “Take her to the opera next time.”

Rodrigue’s lips curved into a teasing smile as he added, “Then kiss her afterwards.”

Rufus laughed out loud as he said, “Your bet is after the opera? God. That sounds like something Lambert would do!”

Rodrigue shrugged, a small smile on his face, as he turned his attention back to the paperwork in front of him.

Dimitri could only watch silently. His uncle has never talked about his father ever since… that day. To see him actually laugh and be cordial with Rodrigue was… strange.

Rufus turned towards Dimitri and urged, “Go on, nephew. We’ll take care of these.”

“I-” Dimitri was unsure on how to reply and he turned towards Rodrigue. Rodrigue smiled at him and nodded. Dimitri’s lips curved into a bright smile and he turned towards Rufus as he said, “Thank you, uncle.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rufus waved his hand dismissively as he snarked, “Just don’t freeze when she gets there like your old man.”

Rodrigue covered his chuckle with a cough and Dimitri wondered when his father had ever freeze. He was just about to ask his uncle when the door opened widely and one of their younger members rushed inside and tripped in his haste, “SIR! SIR!”

“What is it? Calm down.” Rodrigue was immediately on alert, walking towards the man to help him up.

The young man grabbed Rodrigue’s arms frantically as he shouted, “Garreg Mach has been bombed!”

Everything seemed to stop at those words. Dimitri could barely hear Rufus shout, “What the fuck are you talking about?! If this is a fucking joke-”

A joke.

Yes. It has to be a joke.

There was no way Garreg Mach could be bombed. It was the most secured facility they had.

She was safe. She was safe. She had to be safe.

It was just a malicious joke-

“Oh, it’s absolutely true.” A cool feminine voice cut through the haze in Dimitri’s mind. He turned his head towards the voice and saw Cornelia walking inside the room, flanked by two of her men. 

Two of her men who were aiming their handguns at them.

“Cornelia? What the fuck?!” Rufus shouted angrily.

“Oh, hush, you insignificant waste of space.” Cornelia ordered and she clapped her hands once. Another man entered the room, holding a laptop in his arms. It was open to a live video showing a young woman sitting in an office of some sort.

It was Edelgard. 

“Approximately ten minutes ago, Garreg Mach was bombed.” Edelgard proclaimed, her tone composed and clear, “The Adrestia Branch, are responsible for bombing Garreg Mach under the orders of the new head of our family, me, Edelgard von Hresvelg.”

Dimitri couldn’t breath.

What?

What did she just say?

“For generations, the main family of Seiros prosper in the backs of our hard work. The main family reap the rewards while we slave away, doing their bidding. We are punished if we refuse yet we receive no reward if we obey.” Edelgard’s tone was clear and resounded all over the room but, for Dimitri, it sounded like she was talking while he was underwater, “And we have decided that enough is enough. The main family has stepped on us for the last time. As of today, The Adrestia Branch, refused to bend to the wills of the Seiros family!”

“The Adrestia Branch is no more. As of this moment, we are now the Hresvelg Family.” Edelgard proclaimed, “As of this day, we will take Fodlan from the hands of the tyrants known as the Seiros Family.”

“My fellow branch members…” Edelgard stood and raised her hands towards the camera, “Join me in claiming our freedom from the oppressive Seiros family. Join our family and let us unite Fodlan under our rule.”

“If not…” Edelgard’s eyes hardened and her tone grew cold, “If you continue to support the remaining Seiros family then the Hresvelg family will destroy you as well.”

“You all have the remainder of the day to think about your future.” Edelgard moved her hands further apart until they were parallel to her shoulders, “Cling to the oppressive regime of the Seiros family? Or join me into a new dawn for Fodlan?” 

The video cut off there, pausing right on Edelgard’s face, and everyone could only stay silent. Rodrigue was the first to get his bearing as he shouted, “The Adrestia branch bombed Garreg Mach?!”

“Hresvelg Family.” Cornelia corrected in a lazy tone, tutting at Rodrigue before she said, “The Seiros family is no more. Our family has confirmation that the main family are all dead.”

“Our fam-” Rufus repeated, slamming his hand on his desk angrily. Papers flew at the impact of his slam as he shouted, “You bitch! You’re betraying Faerghus?!”

Cornelia laughed as she flipped her hair, “Betray? You can’t betray something you have never been loyal to. I see that dear dead Lambert had all the brains in the family.”

Cornelia’s lips curved into a malicious smirk as she added, “Oh well, that was the reason why we had him killed of course.”

Rodrigue and Rufus froze at those words.

Dimitri turned to face Cornelia as he heard himself ask, “You… killed my parents?”

“Your parents? Oh, no, my dear prince.” Cornelia corrected in a patronizing voice, “The hit was only for you and your dear daddy. Patricia’s alive.”

“She’s… alive…?” Dimitri repeated, unsure if he was even hearing properly anymore.

“Of course, we had to keep our collaborator alive now, don’t we?” Cornelia cackled, enjoying the surprise on everyone’s face, “She may have divorced Lady Edelgard’s father but she still loves her daughter.”

She sauntered towards Dimitri, placing her index finger on Dimitri’s chin and forcing him to look at her, “Patricia never loved you or your poor daddy. She married into Faerghus because she wanted to aid our cause.”

“Your cause.” Dimitri repeated in a dazed.

“Oh you poor dear. It must be shocking to hear that the only mother you ever knew didn’t even love you at all, that you were nothing more than a nuisance that she pretended to love like her dear daughter.” Cornelia gleefully insulted, leaning forward. Rodrigue moved towards Dimitri but stopped when one of Cornelia’s men aimed his gun at his chest threateningly. Rodrigue glared at the man as Cornelia continued, “Volkhard von Arundel ordered Patricia to seduce Lambert so we can take you both out.”

“You fucking bitch!” Rufus shouted, suddenly taking out his own gun from the inside of his jacket. 

The loud sound of gunshot rang all over the room and Rufus dropped to his knees as he screamed in pain and frustration, his right shoulder bleeding furiously as he dropped his gun to the floor.

“Pathetic.” Cornelia scoffed before returning her attention towards the frozen young Blaiddyd next to him. She smiled at Rodrigue as she whispered, “Had it not been for that stupid Fraldarius boy, you would have already been dead as well.” 

Rodrigue began to shake as he glared at Cornelia murderously.

“So the drive-by… it was the Adrestia branch?” Dimitri asked in an emotionless tone.

Cornelia chuckled and rested her arm on Dimitri’s shoulder as she pressed herself against him, “Yes. And now, it’s your turn. You Blaiddyds and those loyal to you will never bend. All that is left is… to take out the trash.”

Dimitri stared at Cornelia’s eyes silently for a few seconds before saying softly, “Thank you.”

Cornelia was not able to say anything else as Dimitri’s hand suddenly grabbed her by the neck, his fingers digging painfully against her throat. Cornelia gasped as she tried to claw Dimitri’s arms while her men turned their aim towards Dimitri. Dimitri lifted Cornelia and dragged her in front of him at arm’s length, using her as a shield as he took out his handgun from the inside of his jacket. He pressed the muzzle of his handgun on Cornelia’s stomach and fired, shooting one of the men on the stomach. He single-handedly threw Cornelia to the other armed man before firing three shots on the injured man. All three shots hit him on the head, blowing almost half his head off as his body crumbled to the floor. While the remaining armed man tried to push the coughing Cornelia off him, Dimitri was already on them. He pressed one foot on Cornelia’s wound, making her scream in pain while he grabbed the man by his head. He slammed the man’s head onto the wall next to him, splattering blood all over. He did it again, slamming it harder than the first time. 

And he slammed it for the third time, cracking the wall and drenching his hand in the man’s blood. He dropped the bloody head of the corpse to the floor and crouched next to Cornelia. 

He could hear them clearly now.

The voices that had been whispers before.

They were so loud now.

And they were demanding tribute.

Dimitri’s lips curved into a manic smirk as Cornelia screamed, grabbing his wrists as they grabbed her face.

She watched while they had suffered.

He pressed his thumbs on Cornelia’s eyes.

She watched in silence all these years.

Cornelia continued to scream as Dimitri pushed his thumbs inside.

Kill her. Kill her. _ Kill her. _

The voices grew louder at each word.

_ “Kill her!” _

Dimitri heard his father’s voice and he slammed Cornelia’s head against the floor hard. Blood and brain matter splattered all over. 

They will pay.

They will all pay.

Dimitri stood and turned his eyes to the last of Cornelia’s men.

The last man was cowering on one of the corners in fear, the laptop he had been holding lying on the floor in front of him.

Edelgard’s face was still showing on the monitor.

Edelgard…

His step-sister…

The first friend he ever lost to the hands of time…

_ “The woman who ordered the death of the woman you were going to kiss tonight.” _His father’s voice reminded him and Dimitri felt like he couldn’t breath.

He could barely hear everyone else.

“Sir… what do we do now?” The loyal member of their branch family who had rushed in to tell them about what has happened asked Rodrigue who could only watch Dimitri in horror. 

Dimitri walked towards the last of Cornelia’s men as he heard Rufus scream in anger, “We kill them all! Every _ single _ one of them!”

“Rufus-”

“They fucking killed my brother!” Rufus screamed in rage, “They deserve to die!”

Dimitri grabbed the laptop and stared at Edelgard’s face.

_ “Everything was a lie, Dimitri. Everything she said, everything she did, everything.” _Glenn whispered in his ear and he felt his cold dead hand on his shoulder.

“All of Adrestia! Fuck them all! Especially that fucking whore’s daughter!” Rufus screamed himself hoarse as he slammed his unwounded hand on the floor. Tears of grief and rage falling from his eyes as he ordered, “Get everybody now!!!”

Dimitri closed the laptop.

_ “Edelgard ordered the kill. Edelgard killed _ ** _her_ ** _ .” _His father hissed on his other ear and Dimitri could feel his blood boil. Gripping the laptop tightly, he slammed the laptop on the face of Cornelia’s remaining man, cutting off whatever pleading he had been saying that Dimitri could not even hear.

The man didn’t even have a chance to scream as the laptop slammed between his lips. Dimitri’s strength has severed the man’s head from his lower jaw and his body fell to the floor with a thud. The remaining part of the head skidded across the laptop, leaving a bloody smudge, before falling on the floor.

Dimitri watched it all silently, breathing hard.

_ “It’s time, my son. It’s time.” _

_ “Avenge us.” _

Rodrigue approached him cautiously.

_ “Gouge out her eyes.” _His father’s bodyguard whispered.

_ “Cut off her lying tongue.” _His step-mother’s bodyguard whispered.

_ “Rip her arms off.” _Their driver whispered.

_ “Crush her legs.” _Glenn whispered.

_ “Break her neck, son.” _His father whispered.

“Dimitri?” Rodrigue whispered cautiously, slowly moving his hand towards Dimitri’s shoulder.

He felt cold arms wrap around him and cold lips graze his ear as he heard her voice.

_ “Give me her heart, Dimitri.” _

Rodrigue’s hand stopped before he could touch Dimitri as he heard the young man mumbled, “Yes.”

Rodrigue could only watch as Dimitri’s eyes burn with rage and madness, “I’ll do it. For all of you.”

Dimitri’s bloodied hands curled into fists as he whispered, “For you.”

Rodrigue was frozen and could only watch as Dimitri walked out of the room, mumbling to himself. 

“Gouge out her eyes.” 

“Cut off her lying tongue.”

The dead accompanied his words with their whispers.

_ Yes. Yes. Yes. _

“Rip her arms off.” 

_ Yes.Yes.Yes. _

“Crush her legs.”

_ YesYesYesYesYes _

“Break her neck.”

_ Yesyesyesyesyes _

Dimitri felt a cold hand grip his bloodied left hand.

“And her heart for you.” 

_ Yes. _

“The dead will have its tribute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other titles for Dimitri’s last PARALOGUE:  
“The Eagle Takes Flight”  
“Breaking Point”  
“Birth of A Demon”  
“Whispers”
> 
> ………………… Please don’t kill me? XD


	8. Verdant Miracle (PARALOGUE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth Seiros is dead. The war over the control of Fodlan’s shadow continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT! You’re not in the wrong chapter. The PARALOGUE chapter must be read first for “Verdant Miracle” before the MAIN chapter so keep reading. I promise it makes more sense this way.
> 
> Please take note that this has more violence, blood and gore than any other chapters before it. Some may be vague while others may be a bit descriptive. Please proceed with caution. And maybe prepare tissue? This is the chapter that justifies the ‘angst’ tags.
> 
> Also, no scene set except the first scene for any of these as all of them happened before the main chapter of Verdant Miracle (that’s why you need to read the paralogue first before the main chapter).
> 
> Some are interconnected though but it’s obvious which one is. Also, named NPCs at certain parts because I do not want to keep describing them as “one of Sylvain’s men” or “the woman in red”. Just imagine them as kind of like members of the unit’s battalion.

PARALOGUE: A Swear of Fealty

(Scene set: 20 years before Byleth returns to Seiros, Dimitri’s Childhood Home)

She was a quiet little thing. She didn’t cry and, anytime she needed something, she would pout and make gurgling sounds. That was the only time she would make a sound.

His love thought it was strange and a bit unnerving.

It reminded him of how Jeralt looked stoic most of the time. It definitely didn’t come from the cheerful late Lady Rhosyn, that’s for sure.

“Let’s just hope that’s all you got from that dumbass, okay?” He softly whispered as he cradled the quiet baby in his arms. He had wrapped her in the softest dark blue blanket he could find and he smiled as she blinked at him. He wasn’t sure if she could see him yet or if she was reacting to his voice but he liked to think she recognized his voice. 

“We’re going on a trip now, Princess Sothis.” He told her softly. He wanted to call her by the name Jeralt and Rhosyn wanted but the two never told him what it was. He felt it was insulting to not call her by any name so he called her by the name Lady Rhea had given her. Adding in the princess moniker was just his whim.

“Because you’re my little princess and I’m your knight in shining armor.” He had told her then when he had first started to call her ‘Princess Sothis’.

If being a knight in shining armor meant burning half of Garreg Mach then, yes, he was definitely a knight in shining armor. Sure, he only planned on burning the nursery and having a faulty rechargeable toy he got in one of the street vendors littering Aillel district as the culprit. The fire getting out of hand was not his fault.

At least, no one was terribly burned and only a few valuables (there were a lot, the loss was around six digits in amount) were burned. The guards posted in that area only had minor burns.

He wasn’t even a bit remorseful about it because the important thing was the little princess in his arms.

He leaned forward, kissing his princess’ forehead before whispering, “This will be our last day together, Princess Sothis. We’ve already kept your father waiting for far too long but Lady Rhea has finally lowered her guard. It’s time to take you out of this castle. Hopefully, if that dumbass had any brain cells left, he’ll take you far away from here and never look back.” 

He chuckled softly as he mused, “Knowing him, he’ll probably return once he feels it’s safe. Your father is an idiot like that. That’s why he has me and Rodrigue.”

His eyes softened as he corrected, “He had… me… and Rodrigue.”

He sighed and held her tighter but made sure he wasn’t hurting her, “One day, Lady Rhea might find you. If that day comes… if you return to this castle…”

He closed his eyes as he whispered, “I promise you, Faerghus will protect you. I will protect you with my life. This I swear to you, my dear princess.” 

* * *

  
  


PARALOGUE: Officer Report

On the night of Valentine’s Day of the year 20xx, the main headquarters of the Serios family was bombed. The Adestria branch family took credit over the incident and issued a proclamation that they are now separating from the Seiros family. They have renamed themselves as the Hresvelg family, under the rule of the new head, Edelgard von Hresvelg. 

Both the Leicester and Faerghus branches were asked to either join them or they will be destroyed as well. 

The Leicester branch became fractured into two factions. One faction was led by the Riegans and have remained neutral up to this day. The other faction, renamed Gloucester branch family, became a branch family of the Hresvelg family under the rule of the Gloucesters. 

Remaining as the branch family for the Seiros, the Faerghus branch under the rule of Rufus Faust Blaiddyd proclaimed war against the previous Adrestia branch. Cornelia Arnim, a high ranking member of the Faerghus branch, was executed at the eve of the bombing by trying to defect to the Hresvelg family. Her involvement of the drive by shooting that took the life of Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd was also brought to light as well as the collaboration between her and the late Lambert's second wife, Patricia von Arundel. This also brought to light the involvement of both the Arundel and the Hresvelg family in the tragedy. The Faerghus branch took control of the north-western districts of Fodlan and are still fighting for dominance with the Hresvelg family on the south. 

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was declared missing a week after the Red Night of February. His bodyguard, Dedue Molinaro, was declared dead on the same day.

The only known survivor from the main family was Seteth Seiros. Rhea Seiros has been declared missing while Sothis Seiros, most commonly known as Byleth Seiros, and Seteth’s only daughter, Flayn Seiros, have been declared dead. 

Two years have passed since the Red Night of February and factions in Fodlan is now more stable than before. 

The Hresvelg family with the Gloucester branch family have taken over the southern, central and lower east districts of northern Fodlan. The Faerghus branch together with the remainder of the main family, now taking the name Seiros-Faerghus family, keeps a tight control of the north west districts of Fodlan away from the Hresvelg family. They are now led by Seteth Seiros with Rufus Faust Blaiddyd and Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius as his second in commands. The remaining north east districts of Foldan remains under the Leicester branch, now led by Claude von Riegan, and they remain neutral as of this day.

The police and the organized crime units cannot move as the daily lives of civilians remain mostly unchanged. All deaths pertaining to the war in Fodlan are easily swept under the rug by either the Hresvelg or Seiros-Faerghus family. Any incident that can be reported were all immediately squashed by pressure from the top or by Aegir and Vestra law firm. The officer in charge of the case, Detective Thales, have given the order to observe and report only. 

Reports have confirmed of the serial killer in Fodlan. Members of the Hresvelg family fear the shadows for a monster only known as the Moonlight Reaper who prey upon them at night.

All reports indicate the serial killer only kills known members of the Hresvelg family or known supporters. 

Contact in Hresvelg family states that many people in that faction has started to say this warning frequently: "Beware of the night in Fodlan. For once the Moonlight Reaper sets its eye on you, you will not live to see dawn."

(Excerpt from Confidential Report 00XXX, Officer S. Nevrand)

* * *

PARALOGUE: Searching for a Ghost

“Fuck.” was a very apt description of the studio room he was currently looking at.

“Oh god.” Leonie covered her mouth and tried to keep herself from throwing up.

There were five mutilated corpses in the room, body parts thrown all over the room as blood splatters decorate the walls, floor and ceiling like some kind of morbid art piece.

Jeralt didn’t even bother to walk inside, staring at the carnage from the front door, while he ordered, “Get the clean up crew here.”

Leonie didn’t need any more prodding and walked out of the building to make her call.

There was cell service inside the building but he didn’t remind her of that. Poor girl didn’t have the stomach for such a sight. Jeralt, on the other hand, had seen… well, he wouldn’t say worse, that’s for sure, but he had seen enough (did enough himself) to not be too affected by the sight.

He took a long look at the room. They were all known Hresvelg men, just like every other victim of the Moonlight Reaper as seen by the color of their shirt and all five phones that were on the table, drenched in blood and a bit beaten up but still showing a message log that showed some sort of connection between them and the Hresvelg family.

That was good, in a way.

Even in the Reaper’s current state, he still took the time to make sure all his kills were legitimately members of the Hresvelg family.

That was the reason why they even knew it was him. He let anyone who he wasn’t completely sure was a member of the Hresvelg family live. They were the ones who identified him.

And also the ones who talked about how he kept talking to people who were not there, his father, his friends, people who died four years ago…

… someone he always call ‘Miss’.

“Jesus Christ.” Jeralt mumbled, rubbing his face once. He took a step back and closed the door behind him. He leaned on the railing in front of the door and took out a pack from the inside of his jacket. He tapped the opening of the pack against his palm four times before he took one stick out of the pack with his teeth and pulled it out. He returned the pack inside his jacket, taking out his lighter. He lit the stick and took a long drag as he returned his lighter inside his jacket. He placed the stick between his index and middle finger but did not remove it yet, letting the smoke stay inside his mouth for a bit. He took the cigarette stick out of his mouth, resting his arm against the railing as he slowly blew the smoke out through his mouth. He waited for a few seconds before taking another long drag and finally taking out his phone when he finished blowing smoke out of his mouth. He clicked contacts and clicked Rodrigue’s number, taking another drag as he pressed his phone against his ear. The phone rang twice before Rodrigue answered.

“Is it him?” Rodrigue asked, his voice calm but Jeralt knew him long enough to know that he was apprehensive of the news Jeralt was going to bring him.

“He’s already gone.” Jeralt replied instead, knowing that would disappoint Rodrigue but relieve him at the same time. Disappointed that they still couldn’t find him but relieved that he was still alive. At this point, it was a miracle that he hasn’t been caught by any of the three factions or even the local police officers. 

That just meant he was good at what he did.

“Five men, seems to be Arundel’s from what I could see from their phone.” Jeralt informed Rodrigue, tapping the ash off the tip of the stick. 

“Do you think he’s trying to find Patricia?” Rodrigue asked as Jeralt took another drag.

Jeralt quietly mulled over Rodrigue’s question for a few seconds before he blew smoke out of this mouth. He rested his arm on the railing once more as he commented, “Maybe. Or he’s gunning for Arundel himself. From there, he would probably go after Patricia if Arundel tells him her location or Edelgard herself.”

“That would be too risky even for him.” Rodrigue tried to reason.

“I don’t think the kid cares.” Jeralt countered, taking a deep breath before continuing, “I’ll have Leonie and Alois look around for clues on where he went next but, knowing our luck, we’ll probably find out later tonight where he hunted next.”

“This cannot go on, Jeralt.” 

“I know.” Jeralt agreed. Two years of nightly activities. Sure, he didn’t hunt every night but he hunted too frequently for it to be healthy. The kid most probably went hunting every night until he drops. Then he probably gets up once he recovered a bit and do the same shit again. 

But Jeralt wasn’t exactly optimistic of their current situation. The kid didn’t want to be caught and he was good at it. 

“How’s Rufus?”

“The same.” Rodrigue replied with a sigh, “He keeps suggesting dangerous plans that Seteth and I have to reject or change. He wants the entire Hresvelg’s heads on his desk as soon as possible.”

Jeralt snorted and commented, “That sounds like him. Hell, that sounds like all the Blaiddyds I’ve known.”

“I know. They’re not really known for being… patient.” Rodrigue remained silent for a few seconds, letting Jeralt take another drag as he waited for him to speak again. Jeralt blew smoke out of his mouth as he heard Rodrigue’s next words softly, “I think he’s trying to force an immediate end to this war because he thinks that’s the only way Dimitri will come back.”

“He thinks the kid will come back once Edelgard’s head is on his desk?” Jeralt asked, tapping the ashes off his remaining stick.

“I think he’s worried about Dimitri and he feels guilty for not stopping him when he had the chance.” Rodrigue replied.

“Are we talking about Rufus or you?” Jeralt asked before taking another drag.

Rodrigue was quiet for a moment but Jeralt waited, blowing smoke out of his mouth slowly. Rodrigue finally answered quietly, “Both. We’re both guilty of the same inaction.”

Jeralt kept quiet as Rodrigue whispered, “I’m sorry that we have to ask this of you even though you… even though Miss-”

“Don’t.” Jeralt stopped him, crushing the butt of his stick against the railing, “I’m doing this because I want to. I don’t really know him and, let me tell you, the shit I’ve been seeing isn’t really painting a good picture of him to me but I’ll keep looking. I’ll keep looking and I won’t stop until I find him.”

“‘Cause even if I don’t know him that well…” Jeralt turned around at the sound of footsteps walking towards him. Leonie silently nodded at him, telling him that the cleaners were here, “He’s Lambert’s kid and my daughter’s…”

Jeralt sighed, unsure on how to even finish that sentence, and Leonie looked away, trying to hide the frustrated tears threatening to fall over the reminder of a friend she just reunited with suddenly taken away from her almost immediately. Jeralt flicked the stick off the railing as he continued, “It’s all the reason I need to keep looking.”

“Thank you, Jeralt.”

“Thank me when I’ve found him.” Jeralt said, walking towards Leonie. He patted her on the head twice, making her look up to him with determined eyes. He nodded at her and she nodded back.

“I will.” Rodrigue agreed then added, “And Jeralt?”

“Yeah?”

“You told me you’ve quit smoking.”

Jeralt groaned as he walked out of the building with Leonie, defending himself, “It’s called stress. Cut me some slack, Rod.”

“No.” Rodrigue immediately replied with a chuckle.

Jeralt’s lips curved into a small smile.

He’ll find Dimitri. For Rodrigue, for everyone waiting for him to return, for Lambert…

… and for his daughter.

* * *

  
  


PARALOGUE: Goodbye My Dear

Gautier District at night was a sorry state of affair for the past two years. Sure, it was deep into Seiros-Faerghus territory that it was rarely raided by Hresvelg members and the Leicester’s neutrality meant they didn’t cause any trouble but there was never a day where an incident, usually small, would occur and that would affect the nightly activities Gautier district was known for.

Sylvain understood why the Leicester branch (if they could even be called that anymore) decided to remain neutral. With a lot of the Faerghus members still incarcerated due to the misguided retaliation against Duscur, even if they joined the combined force of Faerghus and the main family that was just now named Seiros-Faerghus Family, Hresvelg still had more members. The only reason why Hresvelg has yet to gain control over the districts held by the Seiros-Faerghus Family and the Leicester branch was because their opponents knew the districts more and held unto them using both legal and underhanded tactics. 

All three factions played the long game during daytime, dancing between the fine lines of legality and dubious practices. It would do no one any good if their actions brought the government down on their asses. 

At night though… that’s when shit goes down. Anything was permitted as long as everything ended or was halted at dawn. At dawn, the clean up crew from all three factions take care of all the shit that needs to be swept under the rug.

So whatever shit was going down in Gautier this night needed to be done before dawn. Sylvain just hoped he knew what the hell was going down other than a vague “5th & 6th”.

Sure, he told all of his contacts to message him in code whenever they think they saw a Hresvelg lurking around or even if it was something vaguely weird or out of place. Gautier district was his family’s district and his father had given him the mission in protecting it.

He’d rather partner up with Ingrid on the front lines but he supposed his old man had a point. His old man had joined up with Ingrid’s father and oldest brother to maintain Galatea and Gautier during the daytime activities while Sylvain and Felix split up Galatea district between themselves during night time on top of Sylvain’s Gautier district and Felix’s Fraldarius district. Ingrid’s other brother had joined her on the front line which elevated Sylvain’s concern over her… not by much though. 

He can’t help but be worried for his childhood friends though. He knew Ingrid blamed herself for Miss’ death, thinking she could have done something if she had accompanied Miss to Garreg Mach that night, and now she was one of the most active members of the front liners. Sylvain knew that was bullshit. Alois had always been the one to accompany Miss to Garreg Mach. Hell, the only people who had been to Garreg Mach when Miss was there had been Dimitri and that was just for one time to report about Faerghus’ findings on the red hooded masked man. Felix acted like he was the same as before but he knew that the younger man was worried. He was worried about his father being too close to the front lines and the fact that Dimitri was still missing and was probably (most definitely) the Moonlight Reaper dangerously getting closer and closer to Hresvelg territories. Hell, Sylvain was worried as fuck about Dimitri most. At least, Ingrid and Felix were surrounded by people they could trust. Dimitri was all alone, hunting each night all over the territories between Seiros-Faerghus and Leicester. Hell, the last update he got from Jeralt’s mass text was that he had started prowling Gloucester district. 

“Hey, boss-man! Come see this shit!” Sylvain’s dark musing came to a halt as one of his men called out to him. Sylvain turned and saw the three men he took with him to check his contact’s text. The last time they checked one of his contacts' messages, it turned out to be a John with some really freaky kink that turned into a bad day for everyone in his team so he decided to only take three men this time. Clark was the oldest of them all with dirty blonde hair and dark green eyes. He had actually been one of his father’s men who transferred to Sylvain’s team to ‘keep an eye on him’. Clark had pretty much seen him and Miklan grew up. Mez was around Sylvain’s age with dark hair and honey-brown eyes. Sylvain had taken him in after he almost got his tongue cut for insulting his previous team leader, something about a goat and the usage of cheese that had Sylvain laughing for a good three minutes. Mez was obviously a nickname because his full first name was supposedly unpronounceable (no one could get him to admit what it was). Tristan was around Ashe’s age and he still had a boyish charm around him with his strawberry blonde hair and baby blue eyes. He was apparently vaguely related to the Rowes or something. Sylvain didn’t really care and Tristan always looked like he wanted to throw up when he was even in the vicinity of any of Rowe’s men so Sylvain was sure there was bad blood there. 

They were all standing at the entrance of a back alley right across 5th Street.

Talk about deja vu.

“Something’s jamming the service around this part.” Mez said, showing Sylvain his phone. The phone both had ‘no service’ and ‘no network’ icons on its screen. Sylvain wanted so badly to comment on Mez’ wallpaper of some sort of black dog with its jaw wide open. (Like, why? Why would anyone choose that as their wallpaper? Was it Mez’ dog? Did he even have a dog???)

“This leads to Sreng.” Tristan noticed, frowning as he asked, “Think they’re sending a rep to collab with those bitches?”

That would be problematic if it was true. Sreng was home to one of the most brutal gangs in their country and Faerghus had always been the one to send them packing whenever they dare set foot in Fodlan. If Hresvelg get Sreng into their side, maybe by promising Gautier district or more, they could easily hit them with a pincer attack.

“We need to find out now.” Sylvain turned to Mez who had the most experience driving a motorcycle among the three and ordered, “Get Felix on the phone. We might need backup. Actually, go get him yourself. If phone’s down in this area, it’ll actually be faster if you get him and his men here and follow us in as soon as possible.”

Mez sighed as he began to walk towards his motorcycle, “Yay. Chauffeuring my boss’ boyfriend. Always a good time.”

Sylvain rolled his eyes as he corrected, “Not my boyfriend.”

Mez snorted as he got on his motorcycle and grabbed his helmet. He raised an eyebrow as he sarcastically replied, “Sure, sure. Just your super close absolutely no homo male best friend who will kill for you. Yeah, sure.”

Mez put on his helmet and revved the engine of his motorcycle as Clark glared at him, offended for Sylvain by Mez’ lack of respect. He saluted at Sylvain mockingly before driving off. 

Once Mez’ motorcycle was out of sight, Sylvain turned towards his remaining two men and ordered, “We’ll go now. I don’t think we have time to call for our own men so stay alert and don’t fuck up.”

Thank god this back alley wasn’t a nightmare of a maze like the one from two years ago. 

Clark nodded silently while Tristan replied, “Roger that, boss.” 

They all took out the handgun from the inside of their jacket and entered the alley with Clark taking point and Tristan on the rear. 

The alley led straight to one of the back corners of Sreng so they could see ahead of them. The problem was the many windows from the two buildings between them. They didn’t turn on their flashlights as it would give their position away and they walked as slowly and as cautiously as they could. Slyvain thought he saw something move from the upper right corner of this vision and aimed at it as both Clark and Tristan stop and crouch. 

“Just a camera.” Sylvain whispered, relaxing slightly. 

It was a security camera with a green blinking light which meant it was on. He took note of that so he can tell the clean up crew later.

They took a few more steps and stopped when they saw a few men in suits talking to someone ahead of them, right in the middle of the alley. They seemed to be making some sort of deal if the exchange of steel suitcases were any indication. 

Sylvain took out his phone and quickly took pictures.

Shit. 

That was Lonato, Ashe’s foster father.

What the hell was he doing here? Was this a Seiros-Faerghus op and not a Hresvelg op as they thought? 

But if it was, why weren’t they informed?

All of a sudden, Sylvain was momentarily blinded by the light turning on the window right next to him. 

“Get down!” Clark shouted, throwing himself on Sylvain as a hail of bullets obliterated the window with the sudden light.

They quickly ran from the continuous hail of bullets gunning for them and Sylvain saw a door ahead, on Tristan’s right. “Tristan, right!”

Tristan threw his body against the door, forcing it open and they quickly went inside. It led to an abandoned factory of some kind. Clark pressed his back against one of the pillars near the door, Tristan crouched behind a conveyer belt in the middle of the room while Sylvain crouched behind a large container next to the stairs. They could hear running footsteps towards their location and Clark took out his knife, preparing to surprise them.

Fuck! Did Lonato defect? Or did they reacted on instinct? Should Sylvain announce who they were?

More importantly, why the fuck did the light suddenly turn on?

Just as the first of the men hunting them enter, a light above the conveyor belt suddenly lit, exposing Tristan. The men reacted quickly, shooting at him.

“Tristan!” Sylvain shouted as the young man didn’t even have time to duck, his body horribly jerked repeatedly as he was peppered by countless bullets before going down in a pool of his own blood. 

Clark blindly fired at the door as he shouted, “Get out of here, Sylvain!”

“Shit! Clark! Don’t-!” Sylvain’s wasn’t even able to finish the order as Clark rushed towards the men by the door. One of them managed to hit his shoulder but he kept going, stabbed his knife on the nearest man he could take down. 

“GO, BOY!” Clark shouted, throwing the man he had stabbed to the others to keep them from aiming.

Clark saw Lonato standing by the door, surrounded by his men and shouted, “Lonato, you fucking traitor!”

“Fuck!” Sylvain cursed as he jumped across the container he had been hiding. Sylvain ran towards the stairs, hating himself.

He knew it was the right call.

Someone needed to report this clusterfuck to the family. 

He heard the sounds of guns going off and that was as good as a proclamation that Lonato has defected. 

Sylvain ran inside the nearest door he found and it led to a long hallway. The sounds of gunfire stopped and he hissed, “Fuck.”

There was no time to grieve as he could hear the thundering sounds of running coming closer, Sylvain ran as fast as he could towards the window at the end of the hallway, the light above him turning on while he passed them like they were motion activated. He might injure himself but he might be able to jump off from there. 

That was the plan until the door into his right suddenly opened and he was grabbed by the back of his shirt. Sylvain gasped as his breath was knocked out of him and he was dragged towards the inside of the room. The room lit up and he heard a growl, “Fuck off, you bitch!”

Sylvain’s eyes widened as he turned around, unable to stop his feet as he was quickly dragged to what seemed to be another set of stairs, “Miklan!”

“Move, idiot, or do you want that old shit to kill you?!” Miklan shouted back before running towards the stairs. 

Not knowing what the hell was happening, Sylvain followed his instincts and ran after Miklan. 

The stairs led to a small room that lit up as they reached the top with a door ahead of them and Miklan kicked it open. He turned towards Sylvain and flipped him the bird as he shouted, “I said fuck off!”

Sylvain wondered if his brother was currently tweaking some weird shit since he was the one who pretty much dragged Sylvain this way when he realized he wasn’t flipping Sylvain off, he was flipping off whoever was behind Sylvain. Sylvain turned around and only saw the stairs they came from.

And a surveillance camera above them.

“Oh, fuck me.” Sylvain muttered.

The lights turning on where they were located… 

Fuck.

Someone had hacked the electric grid of the entire alley.

“Sylvain! Come on!” Miklan shouted and Sylvain ran out of the door, Miklan closing it behind them. Miklan pushed a large container against the door while Sylvain looked around.

They were on the rooftop of the abandoned factory. The surrounding buildings were too far for them to jump to. 

Miklan seemed to have a plan as he grabbed Sylvain’s arm and dragged him to the edge of the roof. Sylvain looked down and there was an open garbage container beneath them. He wasn’t sure what was in it but he could see what could have been styrofoam that the factory used when it was operational. At least, Sylvain hoped those white things were styrofoam. Miklan roughly put some kind of envelope inside Sylvain’s jacket and ordered, “You make sure the old man gets this, okay? Don’t mess this up, Sylvain.”

“I don’t- What?” Sylvain was confused. What? His brother wanted him to give something to their father? Was it a bomb? Did Miklan give him a bomb? 

“Jesus Christ, you’re one unlucky son of a bitch, you know that?” Miklan dragged his hand through his messy hair in frustration. He grabbed Sylvain’s arm tightly as he said, “We don’t have time. Get that shit to that asshole. Understand?”

“No! I don’t fucking understand!” Sylvain shouted. 

They heard banging from the other side of the door and the container Miklan had pressed against it creaked as it was slowly being pushed back.

“Well, tough shit. I don’t have time to give you a play-by-play explanation, okay?” Miklan grabbed Sylvain by the head with both his hands, “Keep your shit together! Stay alive and get back to the family, got it?! Stay alive, Sylvain!”

Miklan lowered his hands and grabbed Sylvain by the arm, preparing to jump with him when the door banged open.

“Fuck!” Miklan pulled Sylvain instead so he was between Sylvain and the door just in time for Sylvain to hear the sound of rapid gunshots ringing all around. Sylvain could only watch in horror as Miklan push him off the rooftop, his brother’s body shielding him from the incoming bullets. Sylvain’s chest flared at the undeniable pain brought by seeing Miklan’s lips curved into a resigned smile and he heard him whisper in his rough breathless voice, “‘m sorry, baby bro.”

Sylvain fell onto the open garbage container, his brother’s body falling right after him, and gasped in pain as he was impaled by a rusted rebar that had been thrown inside the container. Sylvain groaned in pain and pushed his brother’s corpse off him. Oh god. Miklan’s dead. Fuck. Tears mixed with the blood on his face as he pulled himself up and off the rebar impaling him. He fell out of the garbage container and used the wall next to him as support as he tried to get up. His left ankle was aching too much for Sylvain to properly walk but he dragged himself out of the alley. 

He just needed to get to the main street. 

Once he gets there…

Once…

His legs gave out on him and he fell on the ground.

He forced himself to crawl. 

Shit. 

He was bleeding out.

Fuck. He should have kept the rebar in him and just tried to walk with it.

Was that even possible? He wasn’t even sure how long that fucking rebar had been.

A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips as he felt tears fall from his eyes.

His brother was right. He was an unlucky son of a bitch.

Miklan…

A sob escaped him.

Someone was coming.

Where was his gun?

Did he drop it?

God damn fuck this all to hell and back.

“Sylvain!” He could hear someone shout his name and he felt someone cradle him.

His vision was getting blurry and he wasn’t even sure if it was because of his tears or because of something else but he could make out the one who was holding him.

Felix.

He came.

Of course, he did. No matter how he may act, he always knew Felix wouldn’t let him down.

He must be so worried. Sylvain needed to calm him down. 

Shit. He couldn’t move anymore. 

Fuck. His vision was darkening.

Everything sounded so far away. 

Was it… raining? When it did start to rain?

Oh god.

Please don’t let him die in Felix’s arms.

Not like this.

He needed to keep his promise.

He needed…

Felix…

_ ‘I…’ _

  
  
  


* * *

PARALOGUE: Breaking Point

Her hands were shaking. 

Sylvain…

Sylvain…

Annette covered her mouth to quiet her sobs. 

She needed to be strong.

She needed to be strong. 

“Sylvain’s going to be okay.” Annette whispered to herself, gripping her hands together as she repeated, “Sylvain’s going to be okay.”

She took a deep breath, repeating what the doctor has told them to calm herself down.

Felix has gotten there in time. He had been able to rush Sylvain to the nearest hospital. He was going to be okay. They just needed to keep him in the hospital to be sure there was no complication. He hadn’t woken yet but his doctor assured them that Sylvain was going to wake soon. That it was just fatigue. 

He was going to be okay.

Oh god. She had to tell Mercedes. 

No. She can't. 

Not yet. 

Mercedes already has her hands full taking care of the children in the orphanage and keeping them away from all of this. 

And if she told her now, while Sylvain… was… 

Mercedes mustn't know yet. It will remind her of-

Annette shook her head. 

Focus.

Annette, focus.

Sylvain was going to be okay. Once he wakes up, she'll tell Mercedes and they can visit him together. 

Mercedes would be mad at her for keeping it a secret but Annette will be okay with that. Mercedes was still hurting and, even if it meant she would be mad at Annette, she’ll gladly accept it if it meant sparing Mercedes more pain.

Sylvain was going to be okay. 

His team though…

Sylvain’s father had placed Mez as a temporary leader for the rest of Sylvain’s team (god, why did he only took three men with him, dummy!) and they had unanimously decided to follow Felix’s orders, joining his team unofficially. Sylvain’s father didn’t even protest when he heard, almost as if he knew it would happen.

Sylvain’s phone had uploaded the photos he took in the alley to the family’s private cloud account once it was able to get a service.

And his father has verified the contents of usb stick inside the envelope Sylvain had with him as the information he had ordered his older son, Miklan, to get by infiltrating the red hooded masked man’s ranks.

Rufus had been livid about not knowing the plan that Sylvain’s father and Felix’s father had concotted. Felix had been angry at both of them as well.

But it was due to Miklan’s information that they now knew that the red hooded masked man had been Edelgard all along. All of the red hooded masked man’s activities two years ago had been to weaken them and to take eyes off her and to focus most of their resources to a mysterious vigilante-like figure.

Miklan’s information also included a list of people from both Seiros-Faerghus and Leicester that had defected secretly.

Including Ashe’s foster father…

Oh god. Ashe…

Annette couldn’t even imagine how he must be feeling now.

Catherine had been dispatched to take Lonato down. 

Annette had been surprised that Felix didn’t argue about it. Instead, it was Ingrid who had asked to be put on Lonato’s punishment and Rodrigue had easily cut her off by telling her that she was too close. Lonato must be punished, yes, but Ingrid (and, by extension, Felix) was too emotional right now and that would lead to mistakes that may very well cause lives.

Annette thought Felix had agreed with his father but he had cornered her just a while ago and had asked her to check Gautier district for any online tampering. Mez had apparently told him about the jamming in that area and Felix thought that maybe someone had been helping Lonato remotely.

Someone had.

Annette was able to see anomalies in the electrical grid around that alleyway. Mostly lights turning on for a building that has been abandoned for more than three years now. And she had confirmed it was the same building that Sylvain’s team mates had died in.

She had to hack into the electrical grid as well and follow the breadcrumbs they have left behind. Whoever it was was smart enough to jump through different IP addresses but Annette wasn’t any slouch either. Even if this horrible person may be smarter than her, she was no stranger to hard work and her stubbornness was legendary in Seiros-Faerghus.

And now, she had the original IP address.

Yet, her fingers trembled. 

This IP address was familiar to her.

She had seen perhaps thousands of IP addresses so that would mean this IP address was one she had seen frequently. 

Someone from the family…

That meant whoever helped Lonato had helped him knowing they were condemning Sylvain to die.

They were an enemy.

But two years ago…

They were part of the same family.

Annette rubbed her eyes. 

She needed to be strong.

Felix needed this information.

Whoever they were, they were endangering her family.

Annette run the program she created to quickly search for a specific IP address from the IP address record she kept.

The result came back almost immediately.

And Annette’s blood run cold.

She couldn’t breath.

No.

No.

No.

Oh god.

No.

That can’t be right.

That can’t…

She barely managed to click the search button again.

The same result came back immediately as if to mock her.

No.

No.

No. No. No. NO.

Annette didn’t even know that she had screamed.

The next thing she knew was someone was holding her hand, pressing it against a hard chest. She couldn’t hear anything but she could feel the rhythmic inhale and exhale of the chest pressed against her hand.

She tried to focus on it.

She tried to inhale at the same time.

Exhale at the same time…

Again…

Inhale…

Exhale…

She didn’t know how much time has passed. All she knew was that she needed to copy the breathing. The breathing helped.

Slowly, she began to hear a voice.

“That’s it, focus on my breathing, Annette.”

Felix.

It was Felix.

Felix was in front of her as they sat on the floor (when did she leave her chair?), one hand holding hers against his chest firmly while the other was on the back of her head. Her forehead was against Felix’s forehead and he kept repeating the same thing over and over again, gentle whispers that cut through the haze in her mind.

Breath, Annette.

That’s it.

Just breath.

Oh god.

He must have heard her. Did she scream? She must have screamed.

He must have been so worried. 

She raised her free hand and wrapped it around Felix’s neck. She pulled Felix towards her and moved her head to the side. Felix freeze against her but she held him close as tears fall from her eyes. She rested her head on Felix’s shoulder and tugged her hand off his chest. Felix’s grip was lax enough that she met no resistance and she wrapped her other arm around his neck as well as she cried.

Felix remained frozen for a few seconds before he finally relaxed slightly. He wrapped his arms around Annette and held her as the young woman cried on his shoulder.

He didn’t say anything but he raised his eyes towards the monitor that had fallen on the floor. Annette’s right hand looked like it was slightly bruised. She must have hit the monitor by mistake or without intending to. 

The search result was still on screen.

Felix’s eyes narrowed and his hold on Annette tightened as he heard her whisper between her cries.

“... my… friend…”

The result shown on the monitor was…

Ordelia District.

“Lysithea… Lysithea… It can’t-” Annette choked, “It can’t be her! She’s my friend!”

Lysithea von Ordelia’s face was on the monitor as if to mock Annette’s cries.

Felix hands clenched and he burrowed his face on the crook of Annette’s shoulder, silently listening to the pained crying of Annette.

Lysithea was working for the Hrevselg family.

Lysithea had helped in trying to kill Sylvain. 

  
  


* * *

PARALOGUE: Vengeance of Thunderous Rage

Felix didn’t bother to ask permission from Seteth or his father. Instead, he asked permission from Rufus. It was an underhanded tactic but he knew that among those three, Rufus was the person who would approve this op the most.

“You know that Sylvain won’t approve of this, right?” Rufus had the audacity to remind him as he looked at the flimsy folder Felix had given him. 

“I don’t care what that idiot thinks.” Felix replied curtly.

Rufus hummed, staring at the photo of Lysithea Felix had included in the file silently for a moment. He closed the folder and said, “We have shared Miklan’s list to Riegan. They should know by now that Ordelia has joined that whore’s daughter. They might even have an op in place themselves.”

“I don’t care.” Felix said.

“I know you don’t.” Rufus dropped the folder on his table. It was void of any paperwork, a direct contrast to the mountain of paperwork he used to have two years ago. The only thing remaining on his table was a single photo that had been there since Rufus took office six years ago, hidden away by the mountain of paperwork he had back then. It was a picture of Lambert with Dimitri’s mother, holding a baby Dimitri in their arms while smiling at the camera. Rufus sat on his chair and leaned back. He looked at Felix as he ordered, “Don’t mess up. Don’t kill any Leicester. Keep death to a minimum. Your only target is the girl. Got it?”

Felix nodded silently.

Rufus turned his chair away from Felix as he dismissed, “Have your revenge then, Fraldarius brat.”

Felix didn’t respond to Rufus and simply walked out of the office. Mez and his second-in-command, a woman named Katarina, was waiting for him outside. Katarina, mostly known to people as Kat, was three years older than him with long dark hair tied to a high ponytail and dark brown eyes. She had been part of Glenn’s team before, just like most of Felix’s team.

“We going?” Mez asked as he and Kat walked two steps behind Felix.

Felix simply nodded at Mez’ question before asking with clenched fists, “Everyone ready?”

“Yes, sir.” Kat replied curtly as they exited the building. The unmarked black van in front of the building had Felix’s team. Behind them were Sylvain’s team all in motorcycle, waiting for them.

With Annette…

Kat and Mez walked on ahead as Annette approached Felix. Felix stopped in front of her and Annette clasped her hands together. She looked at Felix with sadness in her eyes and Felix nodded silently. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes. He could see tears forming from her closed eyes but he kept quiet. Annette wrapped her arms around Felix and embraced him tightly. Felix wrapped his arms around Annette’s and she whispered, “Come back safe, okay?”

“Of course. I still have to yell at that idiot later.” Felix whispered back softly, making Annette chuckle softly. 

She leaned away and rubbed the tears off before whispering, “Yeah. Let’s all yell at him later.” 

Felix nodded silently before walking towards the van. He looked at Mez who was already on his motorcycle, resting his hands on his helmet, and asked, “You know the plan?”

Mez nodded as he grabbed his helmet, “Make some noise. Keep them busy.”

“Only engage if necessary.” Felix said to everyone, “Our objective is Lysithea von Ordelia only.”

“Yes, sir.” His team replied while Sylvain’s team nodded. Felix turned to look at Annette one last time, seeing her staring at him with clenched fists pressed together against her chest, before getting in the van on the passenger’s side. 

The roar of the motorcycles sounded like a battle cry as they drove off. Sylvain’s team drove ahead of them, Mez knocking on the window of the passenger’s side and giving a mocking salute to Felix before driving past them. 

Felix never understood how Slyvain could stand that man. He supposed annoying people then to flock to one another.

By the time they reached the Ordelia district, the sound of the motorcycles have gotten the Ordelia members’ attention, meaning the security of their headquarters would be lessened. Felix was dropped off a street away from the back of the headquarters. He turned towards his team, all clad in black body armor and protective helmet that Annette had gotten a year ago and all of them holding semi-automatic assault rifle. The only color on their armor was the Fraldarius symbol that Felix and his father had tattooed on their left forearm. Almost all high ranking members of the family had some kind of symbol tattooed on their body, more so in the Faerghus branch. Sylvain and his father had the symbol of Gautier tattooed by their naval area but Miklan never got his. The tattoo was supposed to symbolize one’s achievements in their family. His team deserved the symbol of Fraldarius nonetheless. Their loyalty was unquestionable. To him, to his family…

To Glenn… 

Felix’s eyes narrowed as he ordered, “Shoot to injure, not kill. Riegan may have spies among Ordelia's men. But don’t hesitate to take them out if needed.”

“Yes, sir.” Kat replied for everyone and Felix nodded at them. He turned away and started to walk towards the headquarters, hearing the van drive away. 

The plan was simple, Mez’ team would make ruckus at the edge of Ordelia district and get their members to go after them while Kat and the rest of his team attack Ordelia’s headquarters from the front. 

And Felix would get in from the back while everyone was distracted.

By the time Felix got to Ordelia headquarters, which was a two-storey mansion, he could hear the continuous firing from both sides. The mansion was surrounded by a six foot wall on all sides except the main gate but Felix already took that in consideration, taking a garbage can with him that he jumped off to so he could grab the wall. He pulled himself up and jumped off the wall, slipping into the back garden of the mansion unnoticed. He went inside the mansion using the back door and ran towards the stairs to the second floor. He had accompanied Annette before when she had visited Lysithea so he knew exactly where Lysithea was. 

Lysithea wasn’t a front liner. She would be ordered by her men to stay in her room while they deal with the intruders. 

He saw someone running towards Lysithea’s room, most probably to take her out of the mansion. They must have realized who they were up against.

Felix didn’t let him get even near her room. He rushed towards the man and silently covered his mouth as he kicked him on the back of his knee. The man’s scream was muffled by his hand as he went on his knees and Felix hit him on the back of his head with the butt of his semi-automatic rifle. The man lost consciousness in his arms and he quickly placed him on the floor quietly. Felix quickly ran towards Lysithea’s room.

If that man was already here, it wouldn’t be surprising if other men were coming to get Lysithea as well.

He turned the door slowly and slipped inside, his semi-automatic rifle already aimed in front of him. The door creaked and Felix saw her sitting in one corner of the room, barely visible and holding a handgun with shaking hands. Her head turned towards the door at the sound of it creaking and she raised her hands.

A loud gunshot surrounded all over the room.

Lysithea’s gun flew off her hands, skidding across the floor from the impact of Felix’s shot. Felix had set his rifle to manual so it was only one shot but Lysithea didn’t seem to understand what had happened, crawling quickly towards the gun. Felix shot again, this time hitting the wall just an inch from Lysithea’s nose. Lysithea stopped dead in her tracks, her entire body trembling as she turned to face Felix.

Felix kept his rifle aimed at Lysithea as he slowly walked towards her. When he was just an arm’s length away, he asked, “Did you know?”

Lysithea didn’t answer and Felix pressed the muzzle of his rifle against Lysithea’s forehead as he repeated in a growl, “Did you know it was Sylvain?!”

Lysithea’s entire face crumpled and tears fell from her eyes. She kept her eyes on Felix and she whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry-”

“Did you know it was Sylvain?!” Felix repeated, pressing the muzzle of his rifle against Lysithea’s forehead painfully.

“I did!” Lysithea confessed as she cried, her hands gripping the carpet as tears fell freely from her eyes, “I saw it was him but I didn’t stop! I couldn’t!”

“Why?!” Felix growled that one single word, filled with rage and pain.

Lysithea finally lowered her head as she confessed, “I’m dying! My parents joined Hresvelg because Edelgrad promised them she’ll get me into the test trials of the experimental drug that could cure me! They didn’t tell me about it until after we’re already in too deep. I-I-”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Lysithea covered her face as she cried into her hands.

Kneeling on the floor, crying as she begged for forgiveness, was the last thing Lysithea did that night. 

* * *

  
  


PARALOGUE: The Determination to Cut Through The Grief

Ingrid was furious. 

Sylvain almost died and she wasn’t even allowed to be part of the team that will punish Lonato. Not only that, Felix had disappeared and she couldn’t find him or any of his team. Sylvain’s team had even disappeared as well which she knows wasn’t a coincidence at all.

She was sure something was going to go down somewhere and she had spent an hour trying to look for Felix but no luck. Knowing him, he was already in his way to do something stupid that he or Sylvain needed to supervise. She couldn’t ask Annette because she had left to stay with Sylvain for the night. She could visit the hospital but she didn’t have the courage to see Sylvain yet. Not… right now.

She still has nightmares of Glenn.

And sometimes, when she closes her eyes, she would remember the last day she saw Miss leave, her soft smile as she stared at Dimitri. She would remember Dimitri’s bright smile and Dedue’s…

Ingrid closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Once they learned that Dimitri had left at the eve of the bombing, Dedue had immediately chased after him. Ingrid was unable to join him as she was called back to Galatea district by her father. 

The next piece of news she heard after that was Dedue had died, protecting Dimitri from an ambush by Faerghus members who had defected. 

They didn’t recover a body but several eyewitnesses did collaborate they saw Dedue get shot multiple times before falling into the river near the shootout while Dimitri escaped. There was too much blood on the ground where Dedue was supposedly shot for him to live.

Dedue was officially declared as dead that day. 

But Ingrid wanted to believe that Dedue was still alive. That he was with Dimitri. She needed to believe that.

She can’t…

She can’t lose any more friends.

“Ingrid.” A voice cut off her musing and she turned around.

“Gustave.” Ingrid greeted with a nod. Gustave was Annette’s father who had transferred to the main family after the tragedy as some sort of self-inflicted punishment. Everyone in Faerghus thought it was bullshit but they kept their silence, finding Gustave’s action as a betrayal after such an event. After the bombing, Gustave had joined Seiros-Faerghus as one of Seteth’s men but his team was mainly comprised of men from Faerghus. He had sustained a bad burn on his left side and his lower left cheek still have an ugly burn that goes as far as his neck. Everyone was still wary of him but they weren’t hostile. Everyone knew Gustave was loyal to a fault. That didn’t mean they forgave him for leaving his wife and daughter though.

“I have been ordered by Sir Seteth to punish Rowe and his men. Would you like to accompany my team?” Gustave invited and Ingrid frowned.

“You want me to accompany your team?” Ingrid repeated before she asked, “Why?”

“To be perfectly honest, the release of Miklan’s list has shaken everyone up.” Gustave admitted, frowning slightly, “It does not only include members of Leicester and Faerghus but also of the main family. The possibility that the list is incomplete is also something we must take into consideration.”

“I understand what you’re saying but…” Ingrid crossed her arms as she asked, “What makes you think I am not one of them?”

Gustave frowned at the question, looking at Ingrid as if she had asked a dumb question that disappointed him. He stared at Ingrid for a moment before replying, “Your loyalty to Dimitri is unquestionable, Ingrid. And you have lost someone dear to you six years ago to the same people we are now fighting. You wouldn’t sully your past and feelings by joining the people who orchestrated it.”

Ingrid’s hands clenched at those words but Gustave continued, “And you care too much for Sylvain and Felix to leave them behind. If you betray us then that would only happen if Dimitri, Sylvain and Felix betrays us as well and we all know that will never happen.”

“I…” Ingrid looked at the floor as she admitted, “You’re right. The only way I would ever betray the family is if my friends betrayed us because I trust them to do it for the right reasons.”

Ingrid raised her head and nodded as she said, “Very well. I shall accompany you, Gustave.”

“Thank you.” Gustave nodded at her and turned before saying, “We will leave in an hour. Please make your preparations by then.”

“Okay.” Ingrid nodded and said, “I shall talk to my brother about this and meet up with you in the parking lot.”

“Thank you, Ingrid.”

“Please do not misunderstand, Gustave.” Ingrid’s eyes narrowed as she explained, “I am not doing this to help you. Rowe has committed a grave crime by defecting and his punishment is our duty. Also, the sooner he and his supporters are taken out, the safer Dimitri will be.”

“I know.” Gustave nodded gravely, “And that is why I know you will make the right choice regardless of your emotional state right now.”

“My emotional state…”

“You worry about Sylvain and Felix but I know when the time comes, you will be able to compartalize and do what must be done to keep our family and Dimitri safe.”

“Of course.” Ingrid nodded with determination in her eyes.

For Dedue and for Miss, she won’t fail again.

She won’t lose anyone else.

* * *

PARALOGUE: Blood-Drenched White

“Hey. You sure you up for this?” Ashe turned to look at the young man next to him as they traveled by car to Gaspard district. 

Ashe gave him a small smile as he replied, “I’m okay. Thanks for asking, Caspar.”

Caspar had been a member of the Adrestia branch but he defected a month after the bombing to the main family because he said he didn’t like the way Edelgard had done things, that bombing Garreg Mach was a coward’s way that Caspar would never be able to forgive. A lot of people distrust him for being a son of one of the highest members of Hresvelg but he had shown his prowess and his tenacity on the front lines which has earned him their respect. He had been placed on Catherine’s team and Ashe knew that Catherine was given the order to take him out if she sees even just a hint of deception.

Which was nonexistent since Caspar was probably one of the most earnest and honest persons Ashe has ever met.

“If you don’t think you can handle it, you can stay behind.” Their team leader said in a firm but uncruel voice from the passenger’s seat, staring at Ashe through the rear view mirror. 

Ashe shook his head and stared at her eyes through the rear view mirror as he replied, “I’m fine, Catherine. I can do this.”

He had begged Catherine to take him on this op. She had been hesitant about it but Caspar had vouched for him since they have partnered up for some ops together in the past. While Caspar was a member of Adrestia, he enjoyed being in the middle of the action and would randomly asked to be part of any dangerous ops Faerghus or Leicester may have so he and Ashe had been in the same ops often before. Catherine had agreed once Caspar vouched for him and now, here he was, driving to Gaspard district with Catherine’s team.

Ashe lowered his head as he mumbled, “I need to do this.”

Caspar looked at him for a moment before bumping his knee against Ashe’s. Ashe turned his head towards Caspar and Caspar grinned at him before he turned towards Catherine, “Don’t worry, boss. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Catherine rolled her eyes as she drawled, “You’re a front liner, Caspar. He should be keeping an eye on you.”

Caspar’s grin turned sheepish as he admitted, “Oh yeah.”

Ashe couldn’t help but chuckle, the pain in his chest easing up a bit. The car stopped right in front of Gaspard district and Catherine’s team got off. They all lined up on a single file while Catherine inspect their gear, a black protective body armor with a matching helmet with the symbol of Seiros on their right chest. Caspar’s helmet had a splash of blue the same color as his hair on one side which Ashe thought was added to easily identity him. Catherine’s own body armor was pure white with the symbol of Seiros on her right chest. She also didn’t bother with the helmet, keeping her hair on the usual ponytail. The only black in her assemble was the pair of black gloves she wore. She never took them off and Ashe heard it was because she had burned her hands trying to pull the rubble from the still smoking Garreg Mach in hopes of finding either Lady Rhea or her partner Shamir, both of which have remained missing since that night.

Ashe’s own body armor had a symbol of the Blaiddyd on the back, an addition he received an hour earlier from Rufus (“Your foster father may have betrayed us but no one can question your loyalty to my nephew. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a member of his team and that’s it.”) He had almost cried in front of Rufus which made the older man walk away from him as quickly as he could. It would have been hilarious had Ashe not felt overwhelmed back then. Caspar had been there and had just kept an arm around Ashe as he quietly cried for a bit. 

Ashe had left his usual sniper rifle and opted for a Ruger Mini-30 Tactical that almost everyone just called “Mettler”. It was an assault rifle but it had a scope as well so he can easily take more accurate shots even if it didn’t have the same range as his sniper rifle. It had enough range to cover for Caspar’s sawed off shotgun. The rest of Catherine’s team was equipped with an assault rifle, the only exception was Catherine herself who was equipped with a submachine gun similar to Shamir’s preferred firearm (some say it was really the same one Shamir used) on one hand and machete on the other hand. 

‘For chopping head’s off’ Ashe’s thought bitterly at the sight of it.

“Our mission is to execute Lonato and anyone who has joined him. They have betrayed our family and they will pay that betrayal with their head.” Catherine proclaimed in a loud authoritative tone, her eyes narrowed and filled with rightful fury, “We are the swords of Seiros! We shall cut down all who stand in our family’s way!”

Catherine’s team gave a battle cry at those words and Ashe felt Caspar’s hand touch his for a second. He turned to look at the other man who whispered, “I got your back.”

Ashe’s lips curved into a smile as he whispered back, “And I got yours.”

“Move out!” Catherine ordered, leading the charge herself. One of her team members patted Caspar’s shoulder twice and Caspar nodded silently, following after Catherine with two more team members. Ashe followed after, staying in the middle of the formation as they entered Gaspard district silently.

It didn’t take too long before they met up with Lonato’s men. Ashe almost had to close his eyes as they were easily gunned down by Catherine’s more experienced team. He felt sick. He knew these people. He had grown up with these people.

Why, Lonato, why?

They managed to find Lonato in under five minutes on a street that Ashe remembered playing with his siblings in the past… back when Christophe was still…

“Lonato.” Catherine called out, her suit drenched in the blood of people Ashe knew. She aimed her bloody machete at Lonato as she proclaimed, “Evidence has been found that states you have defected to Hresvelg. Hostility from your men have clearly collaborated with this evidence. The punishment for such grave sin is death.”

“I have no desire to hide it. I am no longer a part of the accursed family of Seiros.” Lonato cocked his gun, a revolver that Ashe remembered he had used when Lonato had taught him how to handle a gun, “But don’t think we will simply take your so-called punishment. We have justice on our side.”

“Please wait, Lonato!” Ashe pleaded, taking off his helmet and rushing towards his foster father. Caspar held him back before he could break the defensive formation of Catherine’s team and Ashe asked, “Why, Lonato?! Why betray us!?”

“Ashe…” Lonato’s eyes softened at the sight of his oldest remaining son. Lonato’s eyes narrowed as he ordered, “Go home, Ashe. This does not concern you.”

“It does concern me, Lonato!” Ashe shouted back, tears falling from his eyes, “Why did you betray Faerghus? Why betray Dimitri?! Why… why did…”

Ashe fell on Caspar’s arm as he felt his strength leave him, his voice going hoarse as he shouted, “Why did you betray me?!”

Lonato’s remaining men lowered their arms as they watch their boss’ son cry and Lonato closed his eyes, turning his head to the side as he said, “Forgive me, Ashe.”

Lonato’s grip on his revolver tightened and he turned his head to glare at Catherine, “But I can never forgive the main family for killing Christophe!”

Catherine’s eyes hardened as she said, “Christophe was found to have collaborated with those who killed Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd and those with him that day.”

“Circumstantial evidence!” Lonato shouted, “Rhea ordered for my son’s death based on circumstantial evidence!”

Lonato aimed his revolver at Catherine as he screamed, “I will avenge my son!”

All members of Catherine’s team aimed their rifle on Lonato while Lonato’s men aimed theirs on the members of Catherine’s team. Catherine’s hands remained by her side as she confidently stared Lonato down. 

“What about me, Lonato?” Ashe whispered, his voice was the only sound that pierced the tense silence between the two groups. He raised his head and asked with a broken voice, “Am I not your son too? Are my siblings not your children too? Is being with us, staying with us, less important than avenging our big brother?”

Tears fell from Lonato’s eyes, “Ashe…”

Whatever Lonato’s next words were lost in the rain of gunfire from above. Caspar reacted on instinct and covered Ashe’s unprotected head with his chest as he dropped on top of him. Catherine’s men reacted quickly, protected by their body armor, half of them fired on the unknown assailants from above while the other half fired on Lonato’s men. Lonato’s men barely had time to react, half of them dropping like flies under the assault of Catherine’s men. The remaining half fired back but was easily gunned down as well but another barrage of bullets pinned the team from behind. 

Caspar had pressed the both of them on a wall right next to a poll, protecting them slightly from the barrage of fire coming from above and behind them. He quickly put Ashe’s helmet on the other man and shouted, “Stay low!”

Ashe quickly strapped his helmet before following Caspar back to the fray. Caspar used the team’s cover fire to quickly run after the people shooting from behind them and Ashe stayed on a crouch, keeping his sight on Caspar as he helped the team take out the men from above and behind them. Caspar got close enough and he took out three of them with one shot of his sawed off shotgun. With those three men down, Ashe finally saw who had came to Lonato’s aid.

It was Gwendal, Rowe’s most notorious right hand man. 

Caspar had to retreat to the safety of a nearby store as Rowe’s men fired on him. It would just take one lucky hit for a bullet to hit him in one of the softer parts of their body armor. 

Ashe rushed to Caspar’s side, firing blindly at Rowe’s men when…

A van came out of nowhere, mowing down most of Rowe’s men. 

“Holy shit.” Caspar said breathlessly.

The van’s door opened and another team got out, wearing the same body armor but their symbol was that of Blaiddyd. They quickly shot down the surviving remnants of Rowe’s men but Ashe’s eyes was trained one of them.

One wearing a dark grey body armor with blue trimmings and no helmet on, the symbol of Galatea on the right arm…

Ingrid walked towards Gwendal who had been pinned to the wall by the van’s bumper. She pressed the muzzle of her assault rifle at Gwendal’s forehead, watching the man cough blood, as she proclaimed calmly, “The punishment for betraying the Seiros family, for betraying Faerghus and for betraying the Blaiddyds is death.”

Ingrid’s eyes narrowed as she said coldly, “May your soul suffer in the eternal flames.”

Ingrid pressed the trigger and the gunshot sounded louder than any other shots Ashe heard. Ingrid lowered her rifle slightly and Gwendal’s upper body crumpled against the van. He barely registered that the fight was finally over. 

All he could think was how Ingrid looked like an angel of vengeance right there and then, the fearsome but beautiful wrathful angel of justice he read about when he was a child.

Ingrid turned and her eyes met Ashe. The coldness in them disappeared as she ran towards Ashe, her face concerned. She knelt next to Ashe and unclasped his helmet, taking it off. Ingrid gently grabbed his cheeks as she asked, “Are you okay, Ashe?”

Ashe needed to gulp before he could reply shakily, “Y-yeah.” 

Ingrid’s eyes softened as she rubbed Ashe’s cheeks, “You’ve been crying. Oh, Ashe.”

“I’m fine too, by the way.” Caspar commented as he lay on the ground, taking off his helmet as well, “Thanks for asking, Ingrid.”

Ashe couldn’t help the breathless chuckle that escaped him.

“Lonato.” Catherine’s voice cut his chuckle off and Ashe turned to look back at where Lonato had been. Lonato was on his knees with his head bowed, Catherine right next to him with his men lying on their own pool of blood. Catherine raised her machete as she proclaimed coldly, “For betraying the Seiros family, your punishment is death.”

Ashe’s eyes widened and he reached out as he shouted, “Father!”

Lonato’s head rose at the sound of Ashe’s voice and he choked, “Ashe-”

Catherine’s machete dropped down quickly.

Ashe gasped as his vision was suddenly covered. Ingrid wrapped her arms around his head. She pressed his head against her chest as she whispered, “Don’t look.”

Ashe’s eyes filled with tears as he heard the sound of something dropping to the ground with a squelching thud. He couldn’t stop the sobs coming out of his mouth and he wrapped his arms around Ingrid’s waist, clawing uselessly at her body armor. He felt Caspar wrap his arms around him from behind and both of them let Ashe cry in their arms, letting him grieve for the father he had just lost. 

  
  


* * *

PARALOGUE: A Caged Bird Laments

The next time she opened her eyes, Hilda was on a chair next to her. She didn’t know where she was but the room had light yellow paint and the bed she was lying in was soft and warm. Hilda’s smile was a bit sad as she greeted, “Good morning, sleepy-head.”

“I’m… alive?” She asked, unsure if she was truly alive or if this was some sort of dying dream. Having Hilda with her on her last moments wasn’t so bad. 

“Yeah. You’re still alive.” Hilda replied, gently caressing her head. Hilda’s lips quivered as she explained, “Felix came here with you in his arms last night. I thought… I thought…”

Tears fell from Hilda’s eyes and she leaned in, embracing her tightly, “God, Lys. I thought. I thought you were…”

“Why aren’t I?” Lysithea mumbled, her own eyes watering, as she held Hilda tightly, “I should be- He should have- I-! I killed Sylvain!”

“Don’t say that!” Hilda shouted, tightening her hold on Lysithea, “Don’t you ever say that! Sylvain’s okay!”

“He… He is?” Hilda nodded with a sad smile but Lysithea couldn’t stop crying.

Even if Sylvain was alive, that didn’t change the fact that she had helped try to kill him.

Both of them held each other tightly, not letting go, as they cried. 

It may have been minutes. Maybe it was half an hour. Or perhaps even an hour. By the time Lysithea and Hilda are both too tired to continue crying, Hilda had laid right next to Lysithea on the bed, their arms still around each other as if they were afraid to let go. Hilda rubbed Lysithea’s back as she rested her cheek on the top of Lysithea’s head while Lysithea pressed her cheek against Hilda’s chest. Hilda kept her voice soft as she explained, “Rufus Blaiddyd contacted Claude after Felix dropped you off. Leicester is taking credit on the assault in your home. Officially, you’re now a hostage of Leicester. Your parent and your men have defected from Hresvelg and are now part of Leicester again. If they want to see you again, they would have to stay in line.”

“I see…” Lysithea whispered, closing her eyes. This was a punishment by itself. Without Edelgard’s support, she would never get into that trial and her parents would have to bury her in the future.

“Felix included in his report the reason why you defected.” Hilda continued, making Lysithea opened her eyes in surprise. Why? Why would he include that?

To hurt her more?

Hilda tightened her hold on Lysithea as she whispered, “Claude promised that he’ll find a way to get you into the program. Even if he has to steal the trial cure himself, he promises he’ll find a way.”

Lysithea’s eyes began to water again.

“It’s going to be okay, Lys.” Hilda whispered, holding the younger woman as she cried, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

No, it’s not.

Even if Claude gets her to the trial, and she does believe Claude could do it…

Even if the trial test does cure her…

She wouldn’t be able to take back what she had done.

Felix would hate her for the rest of his life.

She will probably never be allowed to see Sylvain again.

And Annette… Annette would never forgive her. 

* * *

  
PARALOGUE: A Tearful Silver Lining

Mercedes was tired. She had just returned from visiting Sylvain in the hospital and she needed a bit of time to just… stop. So when she got back to the orphanage, she went to her room and sat on her bed, just to… decompress she supposed. She had been furious with Annette for not telling her sooner but she understood why the younger woman had done that. She wouldn’t have been able to keep herself in check had she learned Sylvain had almost died and was now in a hospital bed. But seeing him smiling and joking about the cute nurses had alleviated the pain in her heart. It was nice to see everyone as well. Ashe looked like he had been crying but he still smiled at her while Ingrid kept a comforting hand on his back. Felix was silent as always but his eyes never left Sylvain’s the entire time and Annette, with Sylvain’s help, even managed to get him to crack a small smile once. It was like a mini-reunion… without…

Mercedes took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She exhaled slowly before taking another breath, keeping it for a few seconds before exhaling slowly once more. 

“Mercedes?” A youthful voice called out to her and she turned towards the door.

“Yes, Cyril?” Mercedes asked softly, “Did something happen while I was gone?”

Cyril had survived the bombing because he had been on an errand went it had happened. He had wanted to join Seteth but no one had the heart to actually include a kid to such a bloody war so Mercedes had taken him in, asking him to help her with the orphanage. She had been busy trying to support the family while making sure the orphanage was kept away from the actual fighting which was hard because Gaspard was quite close to the districts under Hresvelg and Cyril was a tremendous help. This also kept the young boy from wallowing on his grief over Lady Rhea.

“No. Everything’s fine.” Cyril said but added, “There’s just this man outside asking to talk to you. Do you want me to call the family?”

Mercedes gripped the fabric of bed sheet tightly. Everyone was under a lot of pressure with cleaning up the mess left by yesterday’s punishments. It could easily just be someone who was interested in adopting a child or had questions about adoptions and the children in her care.

“No need, Cyril. Tell him I’ll talk to him and wait for me downstairs, please?” Mercedes asked with a smile.

“Okay.” Cyril nodded and left to follow Mercedes’ instructions. She took out a small handgun she had hidden under her pillow and stood. She lifted her skirt and put the handgun on her thigh holster. She smoothed her dress, a simple light yellow skirt with a white long sleeved blouse with ruffles on both sides, and put on her brown hat. Annette had cut off her long hair two years ago after she found Mercedes crying on the bathroom floor, pulling her hair hard enough to actually harm herself. Now, she kept it short, asking Cyril to trim it for her every two months or so. She took a deep breath before leaving the room. 

All the other children were on the playroom with the older children standing guard by the door and the windows like they have practiced. Cyril was by the front door, hands behind his back where a small handgun was tucked under his shirt.

All Mercedes had to do was raise one hand high up and Cyril will know to lock the main doors, order the kids to hide in the secret basement underneath the playroom and call the family.

That was their plan and they haven’t used it yet. Mercedes hoped they never do but she wasn’t exactly sure about that. Every night, for the past two years, a man had been standing across the street. The man had pale hair and wore a black trench coat but that was all Mercedes could see from her window. He never approached or did anything. He just stood there, staring at the orphanage for an hour or two before leaving. 

But the man in front of the orphanage today wasn’t the same man who watched the orphanage at night.

For one brief moment, she mistook him for…

Mercedes’ breath hitched and she could feel water forming for her eyes but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She quickly rubbed her eyes once before opening them. She forced a smile as she walked towards the man and asked, “Hello. You asked to see me?”

The man with dark skin and pure snow hair nodded and asked, “You are Mercedes, right?”

“Yes, I am.” Mercedes replied, gripping her skirt with her left hand.

“Please come with me” The man asked with a slight bow.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” Mercedes took a step back, lifting her skirt slightly with her left hand.

“Please.” The man insisted as he stared at Mercedes imploringly. Mercedes bit her bottom lip as he watched the man bowed once more, “It’s important. Please.”

She knew she shouldn’t. This could be a trap. 

But the man sounded so sincere, so… sad…

She couldn’t just… 

She turned towards Cyril and placed her right hand over her left shoulder, tapping her index and middle finger twice. Cyril frowned at the sign but nodded nonetheless. She smiled at Cyril as she silently thanked him before turning to face the man once more. She nodded and said, “Okay, but only for an hour.”

“Thank you.” The man bowed once more before walking towards a car. Mercedes got inside the car and let the man drive her away from the orphanage.

The sign meant Cyril will wait for two hours. If he didn’t hear anything from Mercedes by then, he would call Annette who could easily trace her phone’s GPS. 

The car ride was silent the entire way but Mercedes noticed where they were going when they passed Mateus district. 

They were going to Kleiman district, previously called Duscur District, where the people of Duscur used to live. Now, it was mainly abandoned, the genocide from four years ago still too much for people to live there. 

Mercedes could feel her heart beating too fast as the car stopped in front of a decrepit old one storey home. The man turned off the engine and said, “Inside.”

Mercedes simply looked at him silently so he added, “Please.”

Mercedes wasn’t sure what was happening but she hoped…

Oh god…

She hoped…

Mercedes barely realized she had left the car and the door opened for her, a dark skinned young girl behind the door. She stared at Mercedes as she entered and closed the door before running up the stairs. She stopped on top of the stairs and looked at her, as if waiting for her. 

Mercedes could barely hear the creaky stairs as she ascended the stairs, the loud beating of her heart drowning almost all the other sounds. 

There was only one room with a slightly opened door and she walked inside.

She couldn’t breath. 

Tears started to fall from her eyes as she covered her mouth to muffle her sobs.

“Mercedes.”

She rushed towards the bed, tripping on her way and falling on the bed. 

Falling in his arms.

“Oh god! Oh thank god!” She cried, wrapping her arms tightly around him, “You’re alive! You’re really alive!”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.” He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her as well.

She couldn’t make any other sound, simply sobbing on his shoulder as they held each other tight. The other person in the room, an elderly man nodded at him as he said, “I shall leave to give you privacy, Dedue.”

“Thank you, my friend.” Dedue nodded at the elderly man who grabbed his cane and walked slowly out of the room. The little girl met him outside and assisted him in walking. He closed the door behind him and let the two have their reunion in peace.

After a few minutes, Mercedes was finally able to compose herself enough to lean away. She looked over Dedue and saw the bandages wrapped around his naked chest. Her eyes watered once more when she saw the many scars littering the man’s face. She placed her hands on his cheeks as she asked, “Are you… are you okay? Truly?”

“Yes.” Dedue nodded, “I am still recovering but I have regained enough strength to move.”

“So all this time…”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.” Dedue’s eyes softened as he explained, “That night… when we were ambushed, I fell into the river. They… the people of Duscur found me on Gideon district and took me here to care for me. They do not trust many people and have thought it would be better to keep my survival a secret. I have only been able to persuade them to contact you just now. I’m sorry I couldn’t do it any sooner.”

“I’m just… I’m so happy you’re alive, Dedue. I would have willingly waited for ten years if it means you’re alive.” Mercedes whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

Dedue grabbed both of Mercedes’ hands and squeezed them tightly for a moment. Mercedes smiled at him and he returned it with a small smile of his own.

“How is… everyone?” Dedue asked as he gently lowered their hands to his lap, “They couldn’t get any more information other than the war is still ongoing.”

Mercedes’ grip on his hands tightened as she explained, “That’s true. We’re keeping them at bay but, the way things are going, we don’t think the war will end anytime soon.”

Mercedes’ voice wavered as she continued, “Sylvain was hurt yesterday but he’s alright now. He has to stay in the hospital for observation but the doctors think he’ll be okay. Annette and Felix are staying with him for a while. Ashe joined Ingrid’s team and they’re planning on hunting down the secret defectors from Faerghus later tonight.”

“And Sir Dimitri?” Dedue asked, making Mercedes freeze.

“They… didn’t tell you?” Mercedes whispered.

“Tell me what?” Dedue’s grip on her hand tightened.

“Dimitri…” Mercedes gulped before she continued as softly as she could, “Dimitri has been missing for the past two years. He’s been hunting Hresvelg members every night as the Moonlight Reaper.”

Mercedes gasped as Dedue try to get out of the bed, “Dedue!”

His legs gave out under him and he fell on Mercedes’ arms with a pained groan. Mercedes tightened her hold on Dedue as she begged, “Please, Dedue! You are still injured!”

“I must… get to…” Dedue groaned in pain once more as his body refused to move.

“I know. I know.” Mercedes held him, wrapping her arms around his head, “We all want to see Dimitri again. Sir Jeralt spends every day trying to look for him. No one has given up on him. Okay? We’re all still looking for him.”

Mercedes caressed his head gently as she whispered, “But for now, you need to get stronger, okay? We’ll take you to the hospital, get you properly treated and once you get your strength back…”

Mercedes rested her head on the top of Dedue’s head and she closed her eyes, feeling him wrap his arms around her tightly, “We’ll look for Dimitri together. All of us.”

  
  


* * *

PARALOGUE: The Small Price to Pay

There had been seven rats scurrying around. 

Seven rats who didn’t have enough time to squeal as he broke their legs.

They screamed. They always screamed but their screams were nothing compared to the pain the dead had gone through, the anguish they had endured and their neverending whispers of hate.

He broke their legs and took their phone. Some didn’t have a password and he easily found proof of their sins. Others, he had to force the rats to unlock their phone but he was good at it now.

He knew the best way to inflict the greatest pain without killing rats outright.

They were all sinners.

So he took out the trash.

The first rat, he smashed against the wall.

The second rat, he drowned in a nearby fish tank.

The third rat, he threw out of the window.

The fourth rat, he ripped off the jaw to stop from screaming.

The fifth rat, he broke the neck.

The sixth rat, he bashed the head into the door until nothing was left.

The seventh rat…

The seventh rat had tried to crawl away towards the window and he followed. When he had grabbed the rat, the rat had the audacity to stab him with a shard of glass from the window. 

He howled.

He ripped the rat’s throat out.

He threw the carcass out of the window as well.

He was in pain… 

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts.

_ “Pathetic.” _

_ “How would you avenge us if you’re that weak?” _

_ “Are you even trying?” _

_ “Get up!” _

His legs moved on their own. He barely knew where he was going.

The streets looked similar.

Had he been here before?

_ “Why does it matter, Dimitri? Move!” _

_ “Why are you dawdling? There’s more of them!” _

_ “Kill them all!” _

He will.

He promised he will.

He just…

He needed… 

He pushed open a door and fell on his knees.

“Who’s there?!” 

_ “Someone’s coming!” _

_ “Kill them before they kill you!” _

“Dimitri?”

The voices stopped. 

Dimitri raised his head but his vision was blurry.

There was someone in front of him.

“Oh god. Dimitri.” 

He felt hands on his shoulders.

The voice…

It sounded familiar.

Was it…

“Miss?” He whispered brokenly.

And that’s when the darkness consumed him.

_ “Dimitri. You have to wake up now.” _

Just a bit more. He was so tired.

_ “Have you forgotten your promise to me, Dimitri?” _

Of course not. He would never forget his promise. He promised…

_ “I want her heart, Dimitri.” _

Yes, that’s right.

_ “Give me her heart.” _

Dimitri’s eyes opened. 

Or, at least, he tried to open both eyes.

But one part of his vision remained darkened.

It was disconcerting. 

He turned his head to the side and his eye widened.

Shoulder length green hair-

He quickly got up and raised his hand.

And gripped the neck tightly.

“Please stop, Dimitri!” A woman grabbed his arm, trying to pull it away, “He’s not an enemy! Linhardt left Adrestia!”

Dimitri’s grip relaxed and the green haired man dropped to the floor, coughing as he tried to regain his breathing. The woman went to his side, rubbing his back as she stared at Dimitri.

He knew her.

Marianne… she was one of Claude’s friends.

Was she the one he saw last night?

Dimitri raised his hand to touch the right side of his face and felt…

Bandages?

“I was… injured.” Dimitri mumbled as he remembered what had happened.

“Injured is quite an understatement for what has happened.” Linhardt drawled, finally able to catch his breath. He raised his head to look at Dimitri as he explained, “You were bleeding all over. We had to perform an unofficial surgery to get that piece of glass out of your eye. I’m sorry to say we couldn’t save it.”

Linhardt stood with Marianne’s help. He patted his off white shirt before continuing, “We also took the time to bandage all your other wounds and we tried to disinfect them as well. I’m quite surprised you’re still alive.”

Dimitri pressed his hand on his right eye and Linhardt added, “Please do not touch it. You might aggravate the wound. Neither Marianne or I have actual medical training. You’re quite lucky Marianne knew first aid and I happened to know about human anatomy… in theory anyway.”

“We should get you to a doctor.” Marianne added, finally walking towards him. She raised her hand to touch his shoulder but stopped when he flinched away.

“I’m fine.” Dimtri growled as he moved so that his feet were touching the floor.

“You’re really not.” Linhardt drawled but did not stop Dimitri as he got up the bed he had been lying on. The sheets were caked with dried blood. He was still wearing his pants and his shoes was right next to the bed so he put those on quickly.

“Please listen to Linhardt.” Marianne begged with her hands clasped together, watching Dimitri walk towards the discarded shirt by the entrance that Marianne had dropped when she entered the room and saw him choking Linhardt. She had laundried it but Dimitri paid it no mind, putting it on as quickly as he could. His muscles ached but he was used to that, “I have already called Claude. He’s on his way. Please, Dimitri, he can take you to a hospital then we can contact the famil-”

“No.” Dimitri stopped her with a single cold word. Marianne could only watch as he whispered, “I don’t have time to waste. I have to…”

“I have to…”

He felt cold hand grip his own, igniting his determination.

_ “Her heart, Dimitri. Offer me her heart.” _

His eyes narrowed as he coldly said, “I must offer tribute to the dead.”

With that proclamation, Dimitri walked out of the room. Marianne started to follow him but stopped when Linhardt called out, “You’re going to die the way you’re going.”

Dimitri paused but did not turn around as he said, “I don’t care.”

“I figured. You’ll probably cut us down if we even try to stop you.” Linhardt drawled, “So here.”

Dimitri turned around slightly to grab whatever Linhardt had thrown at him.

It was a bottle of pills.

“It won’t stop the pain, just numb you from it.” Linhardt warned with crossed arms, “I don’t really care where you die, just don’t die here. Marianne would be sad.”

Dimitri turned his eye towards the blue haired woman beside Marianne, tears falling from her eyes as she begged, “Please, Dimitri. Let us help you. Just wait till Claude gets here. He can help. I promise-”

“Leicester has announced its neutrality in this war.” Dimitri reminded her, feeling his blood boil as he hissed, “I don’t need help from that coward. From that…”

_ “Then I’ll be happy for you guys.” _

“From that traitor.” Dimitri snarled before he turned around, leaving the two of them.

“Dimitri!” Marianne ran towards him but Linhardt stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

“Don’t.” Linhardt warned and said sadly, “The way he is... No words we say will be able to change his mind. He might even hurt you.”

“But-”

“I’m sorry, Marianne.” Linhardt whispered with remorse, “I don’t know him enough to risk your life. Hate me if you wish but, to me, your life is more important than his. Please let him go. Let Claude handle him.”

Marianne didn’t say anything but only looked at the floor.

She wasn’t close to Dimitri as well. She knew him and they talked a bit but…

She knew Linhardt was right.

Her words wouldn’t be able to reach Dimitri. 

* * *

PARALOGUE: The Future Paved By Crimson Flowers

“We have confirmed reports that Lonato has been executed under the orders of Seteth Seiros. Rowe has lost Gwendal but he was able to escape and they are now currently staying with Arundel. We have also received reports that Riegan has taken Lysithea von Ordelia as a hostage and have forced Ordelia to return to Leicester.” Hubert reported, standing at attention with one hand holding an open folder and his other hand behind his back. Edelgard remained quiet, staring at the monitor of her laptop as Hubert continued, “The killings of the Moonlight Reaper have also been confirmed for yesterday. He had taken out seven of our men around Edmund district. It would be safe to assume that we have lost any contacts we may have around Leicester due to this. We are still trying to get more information but Riegan has created a tight lockdown in all of his district-”

“Thank you, Hubert.” Edelgard cut him off as she closed the lid of her laptop. 

“Lady Edelgard?” Hubert looked up from his report to stare at Edelgard.

“Could you please prepare me some tea and biscuits?” Edelgard asked, leaning back, “I would like to take a short break.”

“Of course.” Hubert bowed as he said, “I shall get right into it.”

“Thank you, Hubert.” Edelgard said and watched Hubert leave. Once the door closed behind him, Edelgard covered her face with both her hands and sighed deeply. She closed her eyes tight, refusing to cry.

She was in pain…

… and frustrated…

She didn’t mean for any of this to happen the way they have.

Lady Byleth wasn’t meant to be there that night. She had always visited for afternoon tea, not for dinner. Everyone was sure of that. That was why she planned for the bomb to go off at night time. By the time she got the report that Lady Byleth was joining the main family for dinner at that time, it was already too late to stop the operation. 

Her initial plan had been to bomb Garreg Mach, use the confusion to have Cornelia and her people kidnap Lady Byleth and get her to Enbarr. By taking Lady Byleth as hostage, Edelgard would have been able to force Faerghus to bend to her. They were loyal to a fault and, even if they wouldn’t, even if Rhea was to live and call for war, she would have been able to force Dimitri to side with her if only to keep Lady Byleth safe. Dimitri’s loyalty was to Lady Byleth, not to Rhea. Everyone could see that by the way they have started to fall in love in the past year. Had Dimitri defected, at the very least, Fraldarius, Gautier and Galatea would have defected as well as their loyalty had always been to Blaiddyd, not to Seiros. Many, if not most, of the members of Faerghus were loyal to Dimitri, not to Seiros. It could have been easy to persuade most, if not all, of Faerghus to bend. Once she got Dimitri and his loyal members with her, Riegan and his supporters’ would have no choice but to bend as well. 

Edelgard believed she could have gotten Lady Byleth to her side or, at the very least, to remain neutral and relinquish her right as a Seiros. She wasn’t born into this world and Rhea had pushed her into being an heir without even getting her opinion. 

She had planned on keeping Lady Byleth in Enbarr with her while she took over Fodlan and let Dimitri see her any time he wants if it meant he will stay in line. Once Hresvleg had control over all of Fodlan, she would have allowed Dimitri and those loyal to him to return to Fhirdiad with Lady Byleth. 

Hubert had thought that part of the plan was too risky, Dimitri was too much of a wildcard and betting everything on the fact that they will have Lady Byleth as a hostage was too dangerous, but Edelgard knew it was the right thing to do. It was her responsibility to her step brother. With time, she had hoped Dimitri would have seen how her way, her vision was for the betterment of everyone in Fodlan. By then, she had hoped Lady Byleth’s presence would be enough to satisfy Dimitri to remain on her side. He would no longer be chained by the duty of being the main family’s guard dog. He would be free to be with Lady Byleth in Fhirdiad. 

But that’s not what happened.

Lady Byleth died in the blast. Cornelia had opened her big mouth and exposed the truth about the massacre her uncle and her mother had orchestrated without her knowledge. Dimitri went rogue and has now turned into a serial killer that everyone akin to a boogey man in the dark. 

The war that should have been over much sooner had everything gone as planned was now on its second year and Edelgard still couldn’t see a fast way to end it.

Dimitri, her dear step-brother and the very first friend she had lost to the hands of time, was out there, hurting and hunting, wishing for her head.

And it was her fault. It was her oversight that brought this.

Someone knocked on the door and Edelgard lowered her hands. She quickly rubbed her eyes before taking a deep breath. She opened the lid of her laptop once more as she ordered calmly, “Come in.”

Hubert entered with a tray of tea and biscuits for her.

And Edelgard stared at the monitor of her laptop, staring at the surveillance camera’s blurry shot of Dimitri’s face as he leaves another bloody massacre, obviously wounded.

The smell of Bergamot tea filled the room as Hubert poured her a cup.

This was her sin. 

She may have regrets but no one can turn the hands of time back.

All she can do is move forward, to make her vision come true.

Even if it meant trampling on the corpses of people she had known.

Even if it meant…

Her hands clenched into a fist and she stared at Dimitri’s photo with determination shining in her eyes.

Perhaps the greatest kindness she can grant is to let him be with the woman he loves once more.

* * *

PARALOGUE: Briar Rose

Claude hated this part of his daily routine. He hated the white walls of this room. He hated hearing the painful falls of a body that wouldn’t move properly anymore.

He hated being the bearer of bad news.

“Please, that is enough for today. You must not force your body too much.” Flayn begged as she tried to assist the woman back to her wheelchair. 

“Just a bit more.” The woman stubbornly said, grabbing the railing as she pushed her body up, her long green hair covering her face like a veil. She forced her legs to walk, her entire body shaking at the exertion. 

Two steps.

And she fell once more.

She didn’t make a sound as she fell. 

She was strong like that.

Claude couldn’t bear to look anymore.

He knocked on the opened door, making both Flayn and the woman turned to look at him. 

“Good morning, ladies.” Claude greeted with a smile.

Flayn looked so relieved by his appearance that Claude’s heart ached.

“Good morning, Claude!” Flayn greeted happily and Claude walked inside. 

She kept her head down.

“How about we get some fresh air?” Claude suggested before turning to Flayn, “And maybe tea?”

Flayn nodded quickly and said, “I shall prepare it immediately!”

Flayn briskly walked out of the room to prepare the tea. Saying ‘fresh air’ was quite cruel as they can only move the woman into two secured rooms, three if he counted the small bathroom adjacent to this bedroom. He knelt in front of the woman and gently lifted half her hair off her face, tucking them to the back of her ear (which only helped a bit since most of them fell back anyway) as he greeted softly, “Good morning, Milady.”

Byleth’s expressionless face (porcelain doll, he remembered Dimitri call it that once) stared at him as she greeted back, “Good morning.”

“Allow me.” Claude said gently, placing a hand on Byleth’s back while he placed his other arm under her legs. Byleth let Claude carry her to the wheelchair silently. 

He was used to the silence.

A week after the bombing, Jeralt had cornered him and took him to a small office building in Aillel. They went to the basement and there had been a secret false bottom that opened to another set of stairs that led to a second secret basement. Apparently, Dimitri’s father had ordered the creation of this bunker-like safe house and only a few people knew of its existence. 

Inside the bunker, he saw Seteth, the supposedly only remaining Seiros left, and his daughter Flayn, who was supposed to be dead.

They led him to the other room and he didn’t know if he should be relieved or if he should be sick.

On the bed, surrounded by machines and wires, was Byleth. Both of her arms were badly burned and she looked so pale, so deathly pale that Claude had feared that he was there to witness her last day.

He remembered thinking to himself ‘Fuck, Dimitri should be here, not me. He should be here. Where the fuck are you, Dimitri?!’ back then.

His eyes never wavering from Byleth’s deathly form, fearing she would breath her last if he just take his eyes away for just one second, while Seteth explained to him what had happened.

They had to start dinner later than usual and they had been waiting for Byleth to come into the main foyer. Most of the main family’s forces were outside to give them privacy. She had arrived and Byleth and Rhea walked to the second floor while Seteth and Flayn stayed to talk to Jeralt and Alois for a bit about some kind of mission for tomorrow that Seteth could no longer recall. 

That was when the bomb went off.

The four had escaped the explosion mostly unharmed because they had remained in the foyer but Rhea and Byleth had been left inside. Seteth had feared for Flayn’s safety and had ordered Alois to take her away which the man did with a heavy heart. Flayn had cried and begged to stay but it had been too dangerous. 

The rest of the main family’s forces got there after Alois had dragged Flayn away so they could easily say she had died as only Alois, Seteth and Jeralt saw her leave. Catherine had been inconsolable, trying to pull away the burning rubble with her bare hands, shouting for both Rhea and Shamir who had also been inside the mansion that day.

They had to drag her away and get her hands treated.

Then Edelgard made her proclamation. 

The entire family was in an uproar. Seteth had ordered Gustave to take the main force and coordinate with Faerghus and Leicester. Only Seteth, Jeralt and Jeralt’s most loyal men stayed to search the rubble. 

They found Rhea and Byleth an hour later. 

They were buried in the rubble. Rhea officially died of blood lost and Seteth could see the trail of blood where Rhea had crawled out off while dragging her unconscious niece with her. Her fingers were bleeding and broken from clawing her way out of the deeper rubble they had been. She had died on top of Byleth, cradling her protectively.

Byleth was badly injured and her arms and legs were burned but she was breathing. Jeralt held her in his arms as he cried while Seteth held his cousin in his, tears falling from his eyes silently.

Seteth knew what Rhea would have wanted.

What they have been both raised up to.

Protect the family.

No matter the cost.

He ordered Rhea’s body to be burned right there and then and had Jeralt take Byleth to a doctor they could both trust. Jeralt did as he was instructed, trusting Seteth that day. 

Two hours later, he went to Fhirdiad where the main bulk of their forces were and announced that both Flayn and Byleth were dead and Rhea was still missing.

This was the best course of action they could take.

Byleth was badly hurt but she was, officially, the next in line as head of the family.

By saying Rhea was still missing, Hresvelg would have no choice but to search for her. 

By proclaiming both Flayn and Byleth dead, Seteth had put the target on his back and protected them both.

Claude was mildly impressed by Seteth’s plan. 

While everyone was scrambling over what has happened in the last twenty-four hours, Seteth and Jeralt had gotten a doctor to look after Byleth and had transferred her to this bunker. The doctor taught Flayn everything she needed to know about Byleth’s condition and how to keep her alive. He stayed with her the first year and half of the second year without any complaints. Claude never got the doctor’s name but he heard the doctor had been the Blaiddyd’s private doctor and Jeralt had personally known the doctor due to his past with Dimitri’s father. 

Byleth was in a coma for the first year since that night.

Claude was let into the secret a week later because Seteth needed to focus on leading the Seiros-Faerghus forces. Jeralt had to devote a lot of his time searching for Dimitri who had gone missing the day after the bombing.

They needed someone who could check Byleth each day and know Fodlan enough to get her and Flayn out safely if needed. 

That meant Claude…

He was sure he wasn’t their first choice. That would obviously be Dimitri. Had Dimitri not gone missing, he was sure Dimitri would be the one in his shoes right now, staring at the love of his life sleeping like some morbid rendition of Sleeping Beauty.

And that was how Claude became the secret keeper of the most important information in all of Fodlan. Seteth had asked his grandfather to have Leicester proclaim neutrality. His grandfather didn’t know why but Claude understood the reasoning behind it. If they fail, if Hresvelg destroys Seiros-Faerghus then Leicester would bend without any real casualties. Edelgard would have no reason to execute any of them as they never attacked her and Claude will be alive to keep Flayn and Byleth safe.

So he had to see her each day, small and pale, almost at death’s door.

He was there to see her open her eyes a year later, much to Flayn’s relief and tears.

He was there to see the relief turned to sadness when her doctor said she was awake but she needed time to heal. Her body went through a terrible trauma and her brain needed time to process everything. One year spent in a coma state was enough for her body to deteriorate.

She needed time to relearn how to move her body, how to speak, how to…

It was the worst year of his life.

If he was being honest, he hated Dimitri then. 

He hated Dimitri for not being there, for going on his own to what? To hunt? To seek vengeance? 

To look for a place to die?

He hated Dimitri because, each day, he had to be the one to talk to Byleth about what he has heard from his people, from his spies and from Jeralt and Seteth. He had to be the one to keep telling her “We haven’t found Dimitri yet but we know he’s still alive. He’s still okay.”

The first few months, it was okay, because she was still trying to relearn how to move her body, how to move her face.

The later months, Claude had to watch her try not to react to the news he brought each day. 

He hated Dimitri then for not being there. And he was relieved that Dimitri wasn’t there at the same time.

If Claude was already torn, already ready to wage war in her name for what has happened to her and what was happening to her, then he knew that Dimitri would have been much much worse had he been in Claude’s shoes.

Maybe they could have been better off together during these past two years but, at the same time, seeing Byleth like that would have easily broken Dimitri. Maybe perhaps shatter him.

So Claude stayed low and tried to have a few of his men keep an eye out for Dimitri.

This past year, she had improved greatly. She had control of most of her limbs now. She could speak without any problems even if, sometimes, she would pause and look at something for a moment before continuing. The only problem was her legs. Other than the burns she got that night, her legs were pinned down under rubble as well. Rhea had apparently gotten them off before she dragged her away but the damage had already been done. The doctor had said that there was a possibility she could walk again but it was highly unlikely.

But still she persisted. Each day, every morning, he saw her grab the railings of her bed and try to walk with Flayn hovering close by.

“Seiros-Faerghus have taken over Gaspard district.” Claude informed her as he wheeled her to the other room. It was a simple sitting room with the stairs on one side. Flayn was already there, pouring tea on three cups. Claude wheeled her to her spot, with a clear view of the stairs, between Flayn’s and Claude’s chair. Claude sat on his chair and continued, “They plan on taking over Magdred in the next two days. Once that is done, they think they would have enough foothold to start attacking Arundel.”

Flayn sat on her chair and pushed a plate of biscuits to Byleth. Byleth paid it no attention, tracing the rim of her cup with her fingers. Flayn’s eyes watered, obviously remembering that Rhea used to do the same thing when she was thinking about something. Claude wondered if Byleth got the habit without realizing it or if she knew it had come from Rhea but he didn’t say anything about it. It wasn’t the time. Instead he continued, bracing himself for Byleth’s reaction, “I got a call from Marianne yesterday. Dimitri was with her last night.”

Byleth’s hand froze and Flayn’s eyes widened, staring at Claude. Claude couldn’t help but grimly stare at Byleth, “He was badly injured. Marianne had to perform some sort of surgery… she wasn’t really specific about it. But… he’s okay. At least, for now. She said that if he keeps going the way he has been, well…”

Claude didn’t finish his sentence but he knew both women understood what he meant. Byleth’s eyes turned to stare at him and he wasn’t sure what they were trying to say. Byleth before everything happened had been stoic but there had been hints of emotions in her eyes. The Byleth in front of him was like a mask and he didn’t have a decode sheet.

It scared him and, if he was completely honest, also interested him.

But now wasn’t the time for his need to solve every puzzle he saw. He continued with a calm tone, “Anyway, when I got there, Dimitri has already left. It seemed Marianne tried to get him to stay but she couldn’t keep him there.”

Claude lowered his eyes as he said, “I’m sorry.”

All three of them were silent for a few minutes. He kept his head lowered but his eyes were trained on Byleth. She seemed to be staring at something in front of her, as if she was having a silent conversation with someone they couldn’t see.

Byleth closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I know.” Byleth mumbled, much to Claude and Flayn’s confusion.

Byleth opened her eyes and she looked at Claude with determination shining her eyes as she ordered, “Take me to Fhirdiad.”

“Byleth!” Flayn was on her feet immediately.

“Milady, are you sure?” Claude asked, leaning towards her.

“Yes.” Byleth looked at her hand for a second before proclaiming, “It’s time for me to take my place as the head of this family.”

Flayn covered her mouth but didn’t say anything. Claude knew she was scared for Byleth’s safety but she also knew that there was nothing she can do but to support her.

“I would happily escort you to the den of lions but…” Claude grinned as he asked, “Maybe you should take a bath first and change into something that says more ‘I’m a badass so don’t screw with me’ and less ‘I’ve been wearing pajamas my younger cousin got me for years’?”

Byleth looked at the soft pink pajamas with cartoon ice cream designs she was currently wearing and chuckled softly. She turned towards Claude and conceded, “Good point.”

Byleth turned towards Flayn and asked, “Can you help me, Flayn?”

“Of course!” Flayn cheerfully said and started to wheel Byleth back to her room. She turned back and warned, “Do not even attempt to take a glimpse or I shall execute you myself, Claude.”

Claude raised his hands in surrender as he grinned, “Wouldn’t dream of it, dear Flayn.”

He heard Byleth snort as they went inside the other room, leaving Claude alone. Claude leaned back and sipped his tea.

Now, then. It seemed things were finally moving forward.

He took out his other phone, a simple burner phone that didn’t even have a touch screen. He entered a number he knew from memory and sent one message.

“SSB”

Once he received a ‘k’ back (god, couldn’t he, at least, capitalized it?), he deleted the message log and returned his burner phone back inside his jacket, calmly sipping his tea as he waited for Byleth to finish preparing.

Oh god. He hoped those Faerghus people don’t kill him on the spot, thinking he had been keeping Byleth this entire time. The ones from the main family would probably be too surprised to do anything but those from Faerghus? God, they were all ready trigger happy with what has happened to Dimitri and the truth about the tragedy of six years ago. Add in the sudden return of supposed dead love of their unofficial boss’ life, Lady Byleth (part 2!) and Claude would be lucky if he wouldn’t actually get shot.

Ah, geez, he should tell Seteth about this, shouldn’t he?

But then, he wouldn’t be able to see Seteth’s expression when they just waltz in.

Claude grabbed the tea kettle and poured himself another cup.

He wasn’t a fan of lavender but it seemed to be Byleth’s favorite (he remembered it was Marianne’s favorite as well?) but it had grown on him this past year.

Taking another sip, Claude decided.

Getting shot at was worth seeing Seteth’s face later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 Years vs 5 Years  
Okay, so the idea is Fodlan is a city so it would be smaller than canon Fodlan. I made it half the size so I felt like it was better to cut the year gap as well (weird brain logic is weird, guys). Also, the longer Byleth stayed in a coma, the harder and longer her recovery would take. This also changes everyone’s personality to somewhere in between canon academy days and post-time skip days (with a mafia/modern au twist)
> 
> “Are they? Or are they just?”  
Feel free to see the interactions between the blue cubs and the other characters as romantic or platonic. They have a close bond with each other and whether it’s romantic or platonic is up to you guys. 
> 
> “Why was Sylvain’s team using handguns when Ingrid’s, Ashe’s and Felix’s had more firepower?”  
Because Sylvain’s team was on recon and was not on an actual hit mission like Ingrid and Ashe or out for revenge like Felix. They only bring the big guns when they’re sure shit is going down since, if they get caught by the police with them, they’re screwed. Handguns are fine to carry for everyday tasks or for recon since it’s easy to have permits to carry handguns for self-defense. Clark usually use a shotgun while Sylvain, Mez and Tristan use semi-automatic rifles but Mez also uses a sniper rifle when they need a sniper.  
Lavender Tea  
I picked Lavender as Byleth’s favorite tea mainly because [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) made her smell like lavender in her fic and I just rolled with it. I can confirm Lavender is Marianne’s favorite tea as I spent many tea time with her to get her charisma up for the Heron cup. Lavender smells good though.  

> 
> Other Contenders for Dimitri’s Serial Killer Name:  
The Beast of Fodlan’s Night  
The One Eyed Demon of Fodlan  
(courtesy of [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan)) Murder Noodle


	9. Verdant Miracle (MAIN)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years have passed since the Red Night of February. Two years of war between the three factions in Fodlan with no end in sight…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT! If you are reading this before reading the PARALOGUE chapter, please STOP. The PARALOGUE chapter must be read first before the MAIN chapter for “Verdant Miracle”. I’m sorry for the confusion but I swear it would make more sense this way.

She dreamed of a man’s voice, whispering to her words she does not understand but she understood that it was a dream full of warmth and comfort. She dreamed of being held as if she was the most precious gem in all of the entire world.

Then the warmth grew too hot, painful scorching flames surrounded her. 

Smoke. She smelled smoke.

And burning flesh. 

But still she was held tight… 

She saw Rhea’s face, smiling sadly at her. Felt her lips on her forehead before hearing her whisper, “Goodbye, my dear niece.”

And then she was in the gazebo in Fhirdiad. The moon was shining bright, the flowers glowed from the soft light and petals from the Wisteria flowers above fell like soft rain. She was dancing under their soft rain. 

With Sothis.

“You know what this is, correct?” Sothis asked as they danced to a soft music she remembered hearing as a child.

“I…” She paused, trying to think of words.

She knew words. 

Why was she having a hard time remembering words then?

“Focus.” Sothis ordered softly as she twirled the younger woman, repeating, “Focus.”

Focus.

She had to focus.

And then Sothis disappeared, everything becomes blurred once more and she was being held, warm and comforting, a man’s voice saying something she cannot understand. 

And the cycle begins anew. 

A man holds her. Rhea protects her. Sothis dances with her.

Again and again.

Time kept repeating over and over again.

But it wasn’t time, was it?

“Focus.” Sothis ordered every time.

This wasn’t time.

Comfort. 

Scorching flames.

A cold beautiful night dancing in the moonlight.

This was…

“A dream.” The word finally came to her. Sothis looked so relieved when she heard it.

“Yes, this is a dream.” Sothis confirmed and they finally stopped dancing.

The petals stopped in mid-fall.

“I am dreaming.” She remembered.

“Yes. You are.” Sothis confirmed but there was a hint of annoyance in her tone.

“I…” The words were failing her again. 

Sothis disappeared in a flutter of white petals, blown away by a cold breeze. She reached out her hand to catch her but could only grab onto one petal that turned into sand in her hand. The frozen petals turned red.

The glowing flowers became flames.

And Fhirdiad burned.

She couldn’t move.

Why couldn’t she move?

She needed to move.

She needed… 

She felt a blanket cover her, soft and warm. She felt someone carry her, a hand on her back and the other hand under her knees. 

She was moving but she couldn’t see. All she could see was the blue of the blanket covering her.

Then she was dropped.

The blanket flew away and all she could see was a flash of blond hair.

“Dimitri?” She called out but she kept falling.

She kept falling.

Falling.

And falling.

Then her eyes opened.

She couldn’t move. 

Someone was holding her hand.

Was this still a dream?

What was that beeping sound?

Why was it so white?

“Oh, Byleth!” 

Someone was here.

She knew her.

She remembered her.

What was her name again?

“Flayn.” Sothis appeared on her other side, holding her other hand. Sothis stared at her as she said, “Her name is Flayn.”

Yes. Her name was Flayn.

She was… someone…

“Our cousin.” Sothis said.

Yes.

Cousin.

That wasn’t the correct term but that was the closest term.

Someone else was here.

She didn’t know him but he looked kind. He looked at her as if he was seeing a miracle. He was…

“A doctor.” Sothis said. 

Yes. He looked like a doctor. He was checking the machines all around her.

Another person was there too.

He was…

“Claude.” Sothis said.

Yes, Claude.

She liked Claude.

Right?

“Yes.” Sothis’ voice cracked, “He’s a bit too nosy for our taste but we like him.”

She was awake but she could not move. 

She was awake but she could not speak.

Their words were mumbled noise to her and whatever word she could actually hear, she had trouble understanding.

What… happened to her…?

“I shall tell you once you have regained enough of your strength.” Sothis whispered, her hand anchoring her.

She felt like she was forgetting something important.

But she had no choice. All she can do is start to heal.

Her recovery was slow and hard for everyone.

Movements were slow but she was getting better.

Words were the hardest. 

Sothis remained by her side the entire time, slowly reminding her of what she has forgotten.

When she sleeps, Sothis was there too, holding her hand as they lie on a soft blue blanket.

“Do you remember?” Sothis would ask.

“No.” She would reply.

“Me too.” Sothis would admit but she would whisper, “And that makes me sad. Whatever this is, this had meant something to us once upon a time.”

She knew that. 

But if Sothis could not remember then perhaps the memory wasn’t really there. Maybe it was like this dream, a fragmented memory of a time when they were too young to fully grasp what a memory should be. 

A fragmented memory of a ghost’s comforting voice and embrace.

A fragmented memory her healing mind came up with for comfort.

And she felt like crying.

But she couldn’t even cry. She still hasn't remembered how to cry.

When she’s awake, she slowly relearns everything.

Flayn and the doctor were always there, assisting her, guiding her. 

Her dad would stay for a bit each day, reminding her of her childhood.

Seteth would visit at the same time as well.

Claude was there every morning to tell her what was happening. Sothis reminded her of the names Claude would mention.

Each day, she would get better.

Each night, her dreams became hazier.

Then one night, Sothis wasn’t there in her dream. 

Instead she was back in the gazebo once more, dancing with someone she… knew?

She felt like she knew this person.

But she didn’t know who it was.

A blue veil had been placed over her head. Everything was a hazy blue. They danced for what seemed to be one slow music.

Then the music ended and they stopped in the middle of the gazebo. She felt a pair of lips kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes.

He whispered something.

She couldn’t understand him but she felt comforted and protected as he held her. 

It felt the same as when her dad had held her while she was sick as a child.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered to her ghostly companion, “I don’t… remember you.”

He kissed the top of her head and whispered something else. She didn’t understand but she knew what he was trying to say. 

That was okay. All she had to remember was that…

He would protect her. Even if it was only here in her dreams. 

When she woke up, the doctor said she was better, as better as they could ever hope given her situation.

Her legs were the only thing left… broken.

The possibility existed that they could be healed but he felt that it would be better if she didn’t keep her hopes up.

But she kept trying.

Every morning, she kept trying.

She needed to get stronger.

She needed…

She needed…

“You know that is not what you need.” Sothis told her one night when Flayn had already retired on the small bed across for hers. Sothis sat on the bed, dangling her feet as she said, “You know what must be done.”

She knew but she…

She felt weak.

Sothis turned to glare at her, “You are not weak. You are a coward.”

She stared at Sothis.

“People are suffering. Even now, they are out there, fighting while you are here, wallowing in your own self-made hell!” Sothis screamed, standing as she outstretched her hands, “Our uncle is out there, risking his own life to protect us! Our friends are out there, fighting for their lives! Our dad is out there, looking for… looking for…”

Sothis grabbed onto her shoulders, “He’s out there all alone, hurting!”

Sothis rested her head on her shoulder as she cried, “I want to see him!”

Tears fell from her own eyes as she heard Sothis cry out, “ I want to be with him!”

For the first time in so many years… she cried.

The next morning, Claude told her that Marianne had been with Dimitri, that he had been heavily injured yet he still left. He was still all alone.

Sothis had looked at her, deathly pale.

“He’s going to die with how reckless he’s acting.” Sothis whispered as she stood in front of her.

She knew that.

“You know what we must do.” Sothis whispered, placing her hands on the table.

She did.

“Not just for him but for everyone.” Sothis declared gravely, “This war must end now.” 

She agreed with that. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt Sothis’ hand over hers.

“I’m here with you. There’s nothing we can’t do.”

“I know.” Byleth finally said out loud. Byleth opened her eyes and she looked at Claude with determination shining her eyes as she ordered, “Take me to Fhirdiad.”

Claude had agreed but only after she bathe and change. Flayn had to help her but she wasn’t embarrassed anymore. She needed help and she could take it. 

She had more pressing things to take care of.

Flayn took a bit of time picking her clothes (“This will be your big reveal! You must look stunning and powerful!”) but Byleth was patient.

She really did need to look the part.

It was necessary for her plan to work.

Flayn helped her dress in black collared long sleeved dress. The collar was black with two gold buttons on her neck. Her cuffs were black as well and had golden buttons. The rest of the dress was made of lace with rose designs. Flayn helped her put on a black corset over the lace dress and also put on a long black ruffled skirt over the lace dress that went passed her feet yet the end of her lace dress could still be seen underneath. The ruffled skirt covered her injured legs and the fact that she was barefoot, her feet still too sensitive to be covered. Flayn placed the suit jacket every member of the family wore on her shoulders. 

Her hair had grown in the past two years. It was already as long as Sothis’ and it had a similar style as her cut because her hair two years ago had been a jagged layered cut she had done herself. Now, her mint green hair flowed behind her in varying long lengths. Flayn clipped two golden Lily styled hair clips above her ears and it reminded her of Rhea’s style of wearing Lilies on her hair. 

Good. She can use the similartiy to her advantage.

Flyan tried to keep her hair in order by taking the hair that had been clipped and braiding it behind her back, using the braid to keep the rest of her away from her face. It didn’t really work. A few of her shorter length hair still framed her face and the hair on her back only fanned out similar to Sothis’ own. Flayn only managed to make them fan out at the end instead of all over. 

When Claude saw her, he had bowed and greeted, “Lady Byleth.”

She didn’t like it but she was willing to work it to her advantage.

The three of them left the safety of the bunker and Claude carried her to his car. They drove to Fhirdiad in silence, stopping right in front of the headquarters.

It was just around twelve noon when they had arrived. 

Flayn got out first, preparing her wheelchair. The appearance of the supposedly dead Flayn Seiros was enough to stop everyone near. Claude was able to safely carry Byleth to her wheelchair. Flayn quickly fuzzed over Byleth’s clothes and hair before wheeling her inside the building. Claude walked behind the two and Sothis mused that he was using the both of them as a shield.

Which was a good idea because when Seteth, together with Rodrigue and Rufus, came to meet them in the lobby, Seteth was glaring at Claude with murder in his eyes.

“What have you done!?” Seteth shouted at Claude who raised his hands in surrender, looking as innocent as he could… which really wasn’t much.

Flayn looked sheepish at her father but said nothing to defend Claude.

“Seteth.” Byleth got his attention.

She got everyone’s attention.

She placed her hands on her lap and said calmly, “I am grateful for your and Claude’s protection but it is time for me to take my place as the head of this family.”

“But… Byleth…” Seteth was lost of words, not understanding what was happening, why she had to do it now. 

Byleth turned to face Rodrigue and ordered, “I would like to use an office, Rodrigue, and a camera.”

Rodrigue didn’t move, just as surprised as everyone else.

Surprisingly, it was Rufus who barked, “Well, what the fuck are you all waiting for?! Someone get a camera and clean the office on the twentieth floor!”

People started to move, almost tripping over one another as they tried to be the one to do Byleth’s orders.

Byleth turned towards Rufus and nodded, “Thank you.”

Rufus bowed as he said, “It’s good to see you are well, Lady Byleth.”

At exactly three in the afternoon, a video was sent to all known members of Seiros-Faerghus, Leicester and Hresvelg.

The video showed the supposed dead Byleth Seiros in an office of some sort. Behind her were the acting leader of Seiros-Faerghus Seteth Seiros and the leader of the Leicester branch Claude von Riegan.

She stared at the camera as she stated calmly, “Two years ago, Garreg Mach was bombed by this so called Hresvelg family under the orders of Edelgard von Hresvelg. Many people lost their lives, including my dear aunt Rhea Seiros. In her dying breath, she asked Seteth Seiros to keep my survival a secret as I was heavily injured.”

“I stand before you now to tell you myself that I am still alive and…” Byleth looked at the camera condescendingly, “You have failed, Edelgard.” 

She glared at the camera as she continued, “You used cowardly tactics but, in the end, you failed. And now, you hide behind people who do your work for you. You ask them to join you yet you stay in Enbarr while they fight over the districts we control.”

“So now, Edelgard…” She raised her head and challenged, “I’m not hiding anymore. I will join my family against you as of this day. You want to take Fodlan? You want to end my family? Then come at me. Come and break my neck yourself.”

“I’ll be waiting here in Fhirdiad.”

The video ended there and Fodlan erupted in a frenzy.

At four in the afternoon, Dimitri’s closest allies came to Fhirdiad and reunited with Byleth. Ingrid cried as she begged forgiveness for failing her. Byleth embraced her and told her it wasn’t her fault, she couldn’t have done anything because no one knew what was going to happen. Annette cried as she hugged Byleth as well. Byleth saw Ashe and she asked if he was alright. Ashe couldn’t stop the tears as he admitted he wasn’t okay but seeing Byleth alive was enough to bring a smile on his face. Annette and Ingrid grabbed his hands and forced him to join the group hug. Byleth saw Dedue and she smiled, tears already forming in her eyes, happy to see that he was alive after being told a year ago that he had died during the beginning of the war. Dedue had said he was also glad she was alive with a soft smile of his own. Mercedes then grabbed Dedue and they both got into the group hug as well. Before Felix could escape, Sylvain had draped himself over him and forced him to join the group hug.

Everyone could only watch with tear filled eyes as their head’s close friends cried in happiness as they all held on to one another. 

At twelve midnight, an unknown person infiltrated the headquarters of Seiros-Faerghus. The male assailant took the card key from one of the younger members by knocking him out. 

The assailant checked Byleth’s room in the 21st floor but she wasn’t there. The assailant went back to the elevator and ascended to the rooftop.

In the gazebo, under the moonlight, a lone figure waits. The assailant walked quietly towards the gazebo. The clouds covering the moon finally parted and the soft light of the moon illuminated the lone figure inside the gazebo. Blue-purple and white petals softly rained down on her as she patiently waited inside, her eyes trained at the man in front of her. Byleth offered her hand to the man in front of her, a soft smile on her face as she whispered, “Welcome home, Dimitri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sothis  
In case it hasn’t been clear, Sothis in this fic is not exactly the Sothis from the game. This Sothis is a ‘physical’ manifestation of all of Byleth’s repressed thoughts and desires. The more Byleth represses, the more it manifests to Sothis. 
> 
> Seteth and Flayn's relationship with Byleth  
So Seteth is Rhea's cousin. I think Byleth and Seteth would be cousins? But that can be confusing so Byleth thinks of Seteth as an uncle since he and Rhea acts like siblings anyway and Flayn would be her cousin. It's just easier for everyone if they called each other that. 
> 
> Edelgard  
Okay, so I’m gonna keep this short. What Edelgard did in the game took real courage. She was going against the rest of Fodlan and this isn’t about if she was right or not for doing that (that’s like a whole other debate I’d rather not get into). Regardless of where you and I fall on that whole debate, we can’t deny that declaring war against the entire country took real courage. This fic’s Edelgard’s action could be seen as cowardice in comparison. She used a bomb to take out the main competition instead of declaring war from the very beginning. This fic’s Edelgard looked at her options and went with the one that she thought would have the least bloodshed in the long run… had things went the way she planned.


	10. Azure Retribution (MAIN)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth needs the war to be over as soon as possible. The longer the war continues, the higher the chance her family will suffer. Even if it means executing a plan that places a great risk on her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are… at the final chapter of this supposedly short fic (chapter wise it is short, word wise, I did not… expect this much words. So. Much. Words.)  
Thank you to everyone who read, kudo and commented on this fic (whether you did all or just one or two of them, I appreciate it, guys).  
By the way, this fic will have a bit of a revolving POV. It’ll mainly be Byleth’s POV but some scenes will be in a different scene from Byleth. They’re pretty short and necessary for the plot/character development so please bare with me. (normally they would be part of the PARALOGUE chapter but we don’t have a PARALOGUE chapter for Azure Retribution and, well, the story won’t make a lot of sense if you didn’t read them)
> 
> Thank you to [ Meichiri ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meichiri/pseuds/Meichiri) for bringing to my attention two spelling miss (actually, one of them was a missing word)!

Byleth’s heart broke when she saw Dimitri. Against the soft light of the moon, Dimitri looked like a ghost sent to haunt her, to punish her for her inactivity. His white shirt was dirty and not even the black color of his pants could hide the dirt and dried blood splattered all over it. His hair was longer, almost passing his chin, and unkempt, specks of dried blood and dirt contrasting the natural light color of his hair. But the worst of all was the bandage wrapped around his right eye. The white bandage also had dirt all over it but the most concerning part of it was the dried blood around where Dimitri’s eye should be. 

She didn’t say anything though, only keeping her hand raised towards Dimitri, palm up, but she could feel her lips quiver the longer Dimitri kept quiet, kept still. Behind her, she knew Sothis was crying silently.

Dimitri’s remaining eye was wide as he stared at her face while his mouth was slightly opened.

After what felt like an eternity to her, Dimitri walked towards her in a daze. He stopped right in front of her and slowly raised his hand towards hers, shaking uncontrollably. His hand stopped just an inch from hers. All she had to do was move her hand and their fingers would touch.

But she didn’t.

She wasn’t sure if the touch would be welcomed at all.

Two years. Two long years spent all alone, hunting at night, forcing his body to the limit until he had no choice but to fall…

Two years, surrounded by vengeful ghosts that included her while she stayed in that little room, being protected and guided…

She wouldn’t be surprised if Dimitri hated her. 

She wouldn’t be surprised if Dimitri was here to kill her.

In the end, even if she didn’t mean to, didn’t she leave him as well?

Her breath hitched when Dimitri’s hand moved forward, ignoring her offered hand. His hand light grazed the side of her neck, sending goosebumps all over her at the touch of his ice cold fingers.

They finally rested on her cheek, cold and shaking but gentle all the same. His touch was so light, as if he was afraid she would break if he even applied pressure.

That she would disappear…

“Are you…” His voice was hoarse and rough, as if he hadn’t used it for a long time, “... are you real?”

Tears finally fell from her eyes at those words. She gently covered his hand with hers and pressed it against her cheek. She leaned on the icy touch as she whispered, “I’m real, Dimitri. I’m really here.”

She raised her other hand towards his face, cursing as she could not reach him because of her broken legs. Dimitri took her other hand with his, his voice soft and broken as he mumbled, “Warm… your hands… they’re warm…”

Dimitri fell on his knees in front of her as he whispered in a small broken voice, “Have they… always been this warm?”

Byleth used Dimitri’s hold on her to push her wheelchair towards the kneeling man. Dimitri didn’t even react when her knees press against his chest. Byleth let go of the hand on her cheek and placed it on the back of Dimitri’s head. She leaned forward towards Dimitri and he met her half-way. She rested her head on Dimitri’s shoulder and pulled him as close as she could towards her. She felt Dimitri press his face against the nook of her neck, taking a deep breath while his free hand rested on her back. She closed her eyes as she whispered, “I’m so sorry for leaving you.”

Dimitri didn’t say anything but his grip on her hand tightened slightly. She held him tightly as she whispered, “Dimitri… I…”

Whatever she was going to say was cut short by the sound of the elevator opening. Dimitri was immediately on his feet, eye trained at the elevator and his body poised to lunge at whoever it was. Byleth could barely see who it was as Dimitri had placed himself directly in front of her as if to use his body as a shield.

“Holy shit. You look like crap.” Byleth heard Claude’s surprised tone and, before she knew what was happening, Dimitri had lunged at Claude.

“Claude!” Dimitri screamed in anger as he grabbed Claude by the collar of his shirt. 

“Oh fu-” Claude’s next words turned into a painful wheeze as Dimitri threw him to the ground. Claude barely managed to grab Dimitri’s wrists as they went for his neck. 

“You traitor! You fucking traitor!” Dimitri lashed out as he tried to wrap his hands around Claude’s neck while Claude tried to pull them away.

“Dimitri! Stop!” Byleth screamed, pushing herself off her wheelchair without really thinking about what she was doing. The wheelchair tipped and she fell on the floor, making her gasp more out of surprise than actual pain.

The sound was enough to stop Dimitri and Claude could only blink in surprise (because what the ever loving fuck?) as Dimitri suddenly lose interest in killing him, rushing towards Byleth. He held her in his arms a bit too hard for Byleth’s liking but she used it to her advantage. She wrapped her arms around Dimitri’s head and pulled him towards her. Using the distraction, she ordered Claude, “Get out and tell everyone to stay away!”

Claude looked like he wanted to say something, probably poke the trigger-happy man currently in her arms because, of course, he would, so Byleth glared at him as she ordered, “Now!”

Claude raised his hands in surrender and quickly walked back to the elevator. He saw Dimitri’s good eye trained on him while his face was almost covered by Byleth’s impressive chest, which would have been funny had Dimitri not been trying to kill him just a few seconds ago. Claude entered the elevator and stared at Byleth. He took out his phone quickly which made Dimitri twitch, and pointed at it while staring at Byleth. Understanding what Claude meant, Byleth nodded and watched as the elevator door closed. Dimitri kept his attention at the elevator while Byleth sighed.

“Well now… that could have gone better.” Sothis commented nonchalantly as she sat on the wheelchair with crossed legs.

“Not now, Sothis.” Byleth hissed, too tired for Sothis’ antics. Dimitri turned his face to look at Byleth with confusion in his good eye. Byleth only sighed and scooted so that she was sitting comfortably. She guided Dimitri’s head towards her lap, making Dimitri move his body so he was lying on his back. Byleth caressed his hair, making Sothis grimace at the tangled knots and dried blood Byleth could feel under her fingers. Dimitri relaxed under her touch but she knew he was ready to lunge at any other poor soul who decided to enter the garden.

“He called Claude a traitor.” Sothis reminded her as she sat next to Byleth. 

That was concerning, yes.

“Dimitri…” She tried, waiting for any response from the man on her lap. Dimitri only looked at her silently but she continued, “Why did you call Claude a traitor?”

Dimitri’s breath hitched and he turned to his side, facing her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gripped the fabric of her dress tightly as he growled, “The Leicester branch remained neutral. They betrayed us.”

“Oh. I suppose from his perspective the Leicester’s neutrality is a betrayal.” Sothis mused in a tone that one uses to talk about the weather.

“Dimitri…” Byleth wasn’t sure what to say next. Dimitri had been out of the loop for the last two years and Byleth wasn’t exactly the right person to explain it since she only got the bare minimum from Claude and Seteth. 

Thankfully, it seemed she didn’t have to as she saw Dimitri relax. A few seconds later, Byleth could safely assume that Dimitri had fallen asleep on her lap. 

Byleth and Sothis both stared at the sleeping man on her lap for a few moments before they turned to look at each other.

“He must be quite tired.” Sothis commented.

“Obviously.” Byleth deadpanned, making Sothis roll her eyes.

Sothis gently caressed Dimitri’s face even though they both know he wouldn’t feel it. Sothis’ eyes softened as she said, “He must not have slept well these past two years.”

Byleth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to think.

Dimitri’s health concerned her greatly.

Not just his physical health but his mental health as well. She heard that witnesses say he would talk to people no one can see.

Byleth wasn’t sure if it was similar to her and Sothis (“Are you actually comparing me to his ghosts who want to kill people?!”) or if it was actually a symptom of a more serious illness (“And what is to say that I am also not a symptom of a more serious illness, huh?”).

That meant she needed to get Dimitri to a hospital but… she wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea at the moment. If his reaction to Claude was that severe, how would he react to strangers being close to him and prodding him?

“We do know someone Dimitri may know.” Sothis reminded her.

That’s right…

Byleth took out her phone from her skirts’ pocket while trying not to jostle Dimitri. Dimitri seemed to be in deep sleep and only tightened his hold on her waist when she moved. She decided to call Claude as the younger man was probably waiting for her call. The call only had to ring once before Claude answered cheerfully, “Milady, how is our feral grumpy cat?”

“Asleep.” Byleth replied immediately.

“Oh, I’m sure trying to break my neck have been a tiring endeavour. Poor baby.” Claude cooed but Byleth knew Claude was using humor to mask how he truly felt.

“Is everyone with you?” Byleth asked instead. Claude would be fine. He’ll get over this. 

“If by everyone, you mean your dad, Seteth, dear sweet Flayn, Rodrigue, Rufus and your adorable little cubs, then yes. They’re all here.” Claude answered and Byleth heard a muffled sound that may have been an insult or an objection.

“Put me on speakers, please.” Byleth asked, her free hand instinctively caressing Dimitri’s hair once more. 

“As you wish, Milady.” Claude said dramatically and she heard a few unknown sounds before she was suddenly bombarded with questions.

“Miss! Is Dimitri okay?!”

“Did he really try to kill Claude?!”

“Can’t blame him. Have you met Claude?”

“Hey!”

“Are you okay?”

“Do we need to-”

“Everyone, quiet.” Seteth’s voice was loud and everyone immediately fell silent.

“Thank you, Seteth.” Byleth said before answering, “I’m okay, dad. Dimitri didn’t harm me. He saw Claude and considered him a threat. That’s why he attacked.”

“Me? A threat?” Claude sounded so offended that Byleth knew he was being dramatic on purpose.

“I think he believes Leicester’s neutrality as a sign that they cannot be trusted.” Byleth explained, making her dad sigh.

“Shit. It’s an ‘us versus them’ mentality, isn’t it?” Her dad asked and she could just imagine him frowning.

“I’m pretty sure it would be more accurate to describe it as ‘me vs everyone but the woman I love’.” Claude drawled.

“But we’re on Miss’ side!” Annette defended and their other friends also started to agree with Annette.

“Enough.” Seteth said once more, silencing everyone. His next words were directed at Byleth, “What do you think, Byleth. Is he… alright?”

“Honestly?” Byleth turned to look at Dimitri and her eyes softened as she admitted, “No. I don’t think he’s alright. I think a doctor needs to see him. Maybe even a neurologist. But I don’t think we can take him to a hospital and he might lash out on the doctors and nurses. Not the way he is right now…”

The other line was silent for a few moments.

“Maybe he’ll be comfortable with our family doctor?” Rufus suggested quietly.

“It might work. Abe has been Dimitri’s doctor since he was a child and he would have, at the very least, general knowledge of the human brain.” Rodrigue added thoughtfully.

“He’ll also understand the need for secrecy and tact.” Her dad commented, “He did keep your situation a secret these past years.”

“Oh, so that doctor’s name is Abe.” Sothis commented nonchalantly.

The doctor who looked after her and taught Flayn didn’t bother introducing himself (or maybe he did while Byleth was still unable to understand most words) and he had been a quiet but soothing presence from what Byleth could remember.

“Please contact him and get him here. There’s a clinic on the fifth floor, correct?” Byleth asked. 

“Yes, but we do not have the proper equipment to check the brai-”

“Oh! We do have an MRI! He can use that, right?” Annette chirped, causing everyone to fall silent.

“Why do we have one?” Rufus asked with an obvious surprised tone.

“Um… because… I… ordered one?” Annette replied unsurely.

Byleth could hear her friends sigh, knowing Annette’s penchant of ordering random things when they interest her. Byleth heard Claude chuckling in the background. She heard someone sigh before Rodrigue said, “Let’s park the question of why we have a working MRI in the building for now. Thank you, Annette. Jeralt, could you please call Abe?”

“Sure.” Jeralt replied.

“However, Lady Byleth, we need to talk about our next course of action.” Rodrigue reminded her, “I am worried about Dimitri, we all are, but we must not lose focus on the more imminent threat.”

“Edelgard can wait.” Felix’s voice cut through the call, cold fury lacing his words, “We need to know if the boar is a danger to us or himself.”

“I’m with your brat.” Rufus added, “Dimitri is still one of our best front liners. His work as the Moonlight Reaper speaks for itself. If we can clear Dimitri for combat, our ops will have a greater chance of succeeding.”

“Sir Dimitri has been pushing himself for the last two years.” Ingrid reminded everyone, “Are we really going to push him even further?”

“Sir Dimitri needs to rest!” Annette agreed with Ingrid and her voice cracked, “I think Sir Dimitri has already done so much.”

“The boar will be useless in ops if he isn’t on top condition.” Felix added bluntly.

“Even if he is not in top condition, my nephew is easily stronger than most of our forces.” Rufus defended.

“Sir Dimitri.” Dedue’s voice was clear and Byleth knew everyone on the other line was listening to the usually quiet man, “Sir Dimitri will do what he wants, regardless of our opinion.”

“He’s right.” Sylvain agreed, “Sorry, Ingrid, but I’m with Dedue. Whatever Dimitri decides on doing, we’ll have a hard time changing his mind.”

“We can support him instead!” Ashe suggested, “I mean… even if Sir Dimitri doesn’t listen to us, we can, at least, support him. If he wants to join the op, we’ll back him up. If he wants to recover first, we’ll be there for him.”

Byleth heard someone clapping to get their attention before Mercedes spoke calmly, “I think everyone here is thinking too far ahead without having all the necessary facts. How about we pause this first until the doctor can check Dimitri?”

Her dad took this as a chance to add, “Abe replied. He’s already on his way. He’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“I will escort him to the clinic.” Ingrid immediately suggested.

“I’ll do it.” Her dad said, “No offense, kid, but Abe doesn’t know you. If he sees you, he might spook.”

“Understood.” Ingrid said, clearly displeased.

There was a lull in the conversation so Byleth finally spoke, “I believe we should prepare for both scenarios. I’ll stay with Dimitri while the doctor checks him. During that time, it would be better if you all prepare our next step. One plan with Dimitri and another without him.”

Everyone gave their acknowledgement to her order except her dad and…

“Claude.” She called out.

“Yes, Milady?” Claude replied with fake cheer that he wasn’t even trying to hide.

“Is there anything you would like to add before I end this call?” Byleth asked, feeling like a teacher that is trying to coax her problematic student to say the truth.

Claude hummed for a moment before finally replying, “Maybe just a little bit of news. I got confirmation from Hilda that Gloucester have defected back to Leicester.”

“You’re just saying this now?!” 

“When did you receive this information?!”

“Claude!”

“Enough.” This time it was Byleth who silenced everyone. She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she calmly said, “That’s good news. I assume you had a hand on this sudden turn of heart?”

“Did I?” Claude asked coyly before responding, “Well, maybe I talked to Hilda about, well, how Gloucester could easily be beaten to submission with our combined forces. Maybe Hilda told Lorenz who only defected because he was honor-bound to his father and maybe Lorenz was able to persuade his father? Maybe?”

“Bullshit.” She heard Felix hissed softly.

“I want Lorenz’s father removed as the leader of the Gloucesters and Lorenz appointed in his place.” Byleth said, looking at Sothis. Sothis nodded silently and Byleth continued, “Lorenz’s father will not be executed but he will removed of his rank in the family. If he wants to regain his rank, he will have to show his loyalty to the family in this war. Everyone else who joined the Gloucester in defecting will retain their current rank but I expect them to participate in the ops and show their worth to the family.”

“What op?” Claude asked curiously.

Byleth’s lips curved into a smirk as she replied, “Why the op you will be presenting me later that will happen at the same time Seiros-Faerghus’ op will, of course. I hear that you have a knack for tactics, Claude. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Milady, just because I got the platinum trophy for both XCOM 2 and Valkyria Chronicles 4 does not mean I’m good at tactics.” Claude casually said.

“An op, Claude. I want both ops ready for tomorrow night. We will attack Hresvelg in two different positions.” Byleth said with finality and they all gave an acknowledgement.

“I will see you at the clinic, dad.” Byleth added and she heard her dad grunt as a reply. She ended the call and sighed.

She really didn’t want to wake Dimitri. It was obvious that he needed the rest but ensuring he was healthy (or as healthy as one who spent two years on the run could be) needed to be a priority at the moment. 

“Dimitri?” She called out softly, shaking Dimitri gently.

Dimitri’s eye opened quickly and he sat up so fast Sothis felt like she was the one with whiplash. Byleth immediately grabbed his hand and said softly, “It’s okay. We’re okay. We’re safe.”

Dimitri still looked around for any possible threat. Not finding one, he relaxed slightly before turning towards Byleth. His eyes softened as he whispered, “Forgive me, Miss. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s okay. You needed the rest.” Byleth replied, rubbing Dimitri’s knuckles with her thumb. The physical connection seem to make Dimitri relax further so she took Dimitri’s other hand and explained, “I asked Doctor Abe to check you. He’ll be in the clinic in around five or so minutes.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow at those words and said, “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Sothis hissed with crossed arms.

“That’s good but I would like to make sure, Dimitri.” Byleth said instead with a gentle voice, “Please? I just need to make sure that you are alright.”

“I am fine enough to protect you and take her heart.” Dimitri growled as his eye narrowed.

“Whose heart?” Byleth asked with furrowed brows.

“That woman’s…” Dimitri hissed with disgust in his tone that Byleth assumed meant he was talking about Edelgard, “I promise you I will offer you her heart.”

“We would prefer heart-shaped chocolate.” Sothis snarked.

“Not now, Sothis.” Byleth hissed at her imaginary companion who harrumphed. She turned her attention to Dimitri as she said, “I don’t want her heart, Dimitri. I… I want this war to end. If it means her death then so be it but I have no… I am not specifically asking for her heart.”

Dimitri seemed confused at her words as he said, “But you said-”

Dimitri stopped and looked at the ground as he uttered, “Oh. It wasn’t you. It was the voice in my head that sounded like you.”

“Dimitri.” Byleth placed a hand on his cheek which caused Dimitri to look back at her. She caressed his cheek with her thumb, “I’m worried about the voices you hear as well. We have an MRI in the clinic and I’d like to ask you to let Doctor Abe check your brain.”

“To see if I am crazy?” Dimitri said without any humor in his tone.

“You are not crazy, Dimitri.” Byleth stated, “Hearing voices can mean lots of things. What I’m afraid of is the possibility that it might be because of…”

Byleth couldn’t even bring herself to say it outloud. She sighed and whispered, “Please, Dimitri? For my own peace of mind?”

Dimitri stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded, mumbling almost inaudible, “If that is your desire, Miss.” 

“Thank you, Dimitri.” Byleth nodded and turned towards the wheelchair. She sighed then turned back to Dimitri, “Dimitri, could you help me on my wheelchair?”

Dimitri’s eye widened for a moment before he nodded, “Of course.”

“Thank yo-!” Byleth’s words turned into a gasp as Dimitri suddenly carried her, one hand on her back while the other was under her knees. 

When she said help, she actually meant to wheel the wheelchair near her so she can push herself into it, not actually be carried to it.

“It’s not bad though.” Sothis commented with a grin.

Byleth glared at her even as her cheeks reddened. Once she was safely on her wheelchair, Dimitri wheeled her to the elevator. He used the keycard he stole (she hope the person he stole it from was okay) and the elevator descended to the fifth floor.

When they got there, Doctor Abe was already ready for them. He frowned at Dimitri’s appearance but didn’t say anything about it, instead he greeted in the same soft tone Byleth remembered, “Good evening, Dimitri. It’s good to see you again.”

Dimitri only nodded at him but the doctor just took it in stride. Dimitri followed all of the doctor’s instructions but Byleth noticed a few things.

One: Dimitri’s eye was, almost always, focused at her, as if he was afraid if he looked away, she would disappear.

Two: Dimitri always flinched when the doctor moved quickly. Thankfully, the doctor seemed to have realized it early on and he kept his movements in a relaxed pace. 

Three: Dimitri’s body was littered with many bullet wounds, cuts and bruises. A lot of them were old but the recent ones made the doctor frown and he had to take the time to treat them which wasn’t a good sign.

Four: Dimitri apparently has a tattoo on his upper back. It was shaped like a bursting star or something close to it. Byleth couldn’t really describe it other than the ink was the same color as Dimitri’s eye.

Five: Dimitri’s right eye was gone.

Sothis couldn’t help but cry when they heard the doctor say it. Dimitri didn’t seem to care which only made Sothis cry harder. 

Once the physical checkup was done, the doctor helped Dimitri into the MRI. Thankfully he knew how to use one. It didn’t take that long and the doctor went to the other room to check the results. While they waited for the doctor to come back, he suggested Dimitri take a shower in the other room. Dimitri seemed reluctant due to the fact that it would mean he would lose sight of Byleth so they had to make a compromise. They kept the door to the bathroom open while Dimitri took a shower.

Byleth had to physically pull Sothis from taking a peek the entire time. Byleth knew she should be asking how she was able to keep an imaginary being (“Rude!”) like Sothis in place but she really didn’t want to think too hard about it. 

The doctor came back while Dimitri was still showering and he didn’t waste any time, giving Byleth the result even without Dimitri which Byleth had to ask, “Shouldn’t he hear this as well?”

“From how he was acting, I think he wouldn’t really care, Miss.” The doctor said with a sigh before adding, “And he can still hear us even while in the shower.”

“Fine. Go on.” Byleth nodded at the doctor to continue.

“He’s surprisingly healthy.” The doctor summarized. 

“He is?” Byleth asked at the same time Sothis shouted, “Are you sure?!”

The doctor nodded and said, “I know it’s surprising but, as the Blaiddyd’s family doctor for two generations now, I can safely say that it’s not surprising. Dimitri’s family has always had strong bodies with high immunity and resistance. Some of the cuts were not cleaned properly but they weren’t infected. I was able to clean them as well and the shower Dimitri is taking should also help. The only worrying thing is he is a bit malnourished. It’s not a danger for now but I would suggest you ease him in eating. Do not force him to eat a lot as his body may not be used to it anymore. Small portions in regular intervals for now until his body can take more.”

Byleth nodded at that instruction.

“As for his MRI results…” The doctor didn’t beat around the bush as he summarized, “His brain is normal. The MRI did not detect any anomaly in the brain.”

“That’s good.” Byleth sighed in relief. At the very least, that meant that Dimitri didn’t have a brain tumor or something similar. 

“This would mean the voices he hears are either actual ghosts or a symptom of…” The doctor sighed before saying, “I do not wish to say anything without proof. My advice is Dimitri should see a psychiatrist.”

Byleth sighed, knowing that was the right call. Unfortunately, with the way Fodlan was right now, they couldn’t be sure they could see a psychiatrist that wouldn’t sell them out to Hresvelg in a heartbeat.

“Thank you for the advice, Doctor.” Byleth said just in time for Dimtiri to turn off the showers. The doctor nodded with a soft look on his face, as if he knew of Byleth’s plight.

He probably did considering he was the family doctor of the Blaiddyds. 

“If that would be all, I should get going.” The doctor said and Byleth nodded. The doctor paused for a few seconds before suggesting, “I could… send Jeralt a list of psychiatrists I know. Maybe someone in the family could check if they could be… trusted?”

“That would be helpful, thank you.” Byleth replied with a nod.

“Take care of yourself, Miss.” The doctor glanced at the open door before he whispered, “And thank you… for caring about him.”

Byleth wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she just nodded. The doctor didn’t seem to mind and simply smiled at her softly before leaving. Once the doctor has left, Dimitri walked out of the bathroom, almost as if he had been waiting for the doctor to leave in the first place. 

Byleth nodded at Dimitri’s appearance. The doctor had removed the dirty bandages over his eye and replaced it with a simple black eyepatch. He also wore a pair of freshly laundried black slacks which went well with a pair of black leather shoes and a soft black long sleeved shirt. His hair was wet but clean.

“What do you think, Miss?” Dimitri asked as he dragged a chair from the other end of the room towards her side. Byleth tilted her head as Dimitri sat on a chair next to her, “The voices I hear, ghosts or hallucinations?”

“Hallucinations.” Byleth replied immediately.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow as he asked, “What makes you sure they’re hallucinations?” 

“Well, for starters, I was one of your ghosts too.” Byleth reasoned, making Dimitri chuckle softly.

“Yes, I suppose that is a good point.” There was a sad smile on his face as he admitted.

They were quiet for a few moments before Dimitri finally asked, “Sothis… you’re hallucinating her too, aren’t you?”

“I never stopped seeing Sothis.” Byleth admitted, “Ever since I was a child, she has always been with me. She never left. I just… stopped telling people I still see her.”

“I started hearing them after I woke up from my surgery.” Dimitri confessed and Byleth instinctively grasped his hand, “When I told the doctors about it, they did some tests but couldn’t find anything. They concluded it was part of my trauma and would go away in time.”

Dimitri’s voice grew darker as he continued, “They grew quieter but, if I stop or take a rest, they would whisper to me.”

“That’s why you frequently leave during night time.” Byleth realized.

“Yes. They’re…” Dimitri’s lips curved into a wistful smile as he explained, “Louder at night… when I’m alone.”

“Are they still whispering to you? Right now?” Byleth asked, trying to hide the worry in her voice.

“No. They’re talking but…” Dimitri closed his eye and she felt him tighten his hold on her hand, “As long as I focus on you, focus on this moment, their voices are muffled.”

“Then I suppose we would just have to always be together.” Byleth concluded in all seriousness. 

Dimitri chuckled at those words and opened his eye. He stared at Byleth as he said with a soft smile, “I… would like that.”

Byleth watched as Dimitri’s smile disappeared and he said in all seriousness, “But I need you to understand, Miss. The Dimitri you knew is dead. What you see before you is simply a shell he left behind.”

“A shell?” Byleth repeated.

“I will protect you even if it cost me my life. I will kill anyone you wish for me to kill. I will set the world on fire if that is your wish.” Dimitri declared, his eye shining with a kind of madness that was both terrifying yet alluring at the same time. Dimitri leaned his forehead against Byleth’s as he whispered, “Dimitri died regretting never having the chance to be with you. And I, as his shell… I was born to seek revenge for everyone he lost. Now… now that you are here. This war will satisfy the dead’s desires for blood and… And my life is yours to command, yours to use as you see fit. I am yours, my queen. Everything that remains of this shell is yours: my body, my blood, my heart, my very soul.”

It was… 

Byleth really has no idea what to say to that.

She looked at Sothis for help.

Sothis stared back at her as she admitted, “I… I… I don’t know!”

Okay. She just needed to think.

Think.

Yes, thinking was good.

Thinking was really good.

“Focus!” Sothis ordered.

Right. Focus.

Byleth tried to think about what Dimitri had said. 

That’s when it hit her.

“The voices… you said what they want is revenge.” Byleth asked, staring at Dimitri with a serious gleam in her eyes.

“Yes.” Dimitri leaned away from her and he nodded.

“Then if they get revenge, if Arundel dies… do you think they will stop?” Byleth asked.

Dimitri blinked at the question before he said, “Perhaps. They do want his head. Maybe they will quiet down once I have severed his head.”

“Well, we will have to kill him anyway so we can find out.” Byleth mused in a tone one used to talk about the weather. She tightened her hold on Dimitri’s hand as she promised, “You will have your revenge, Dimitri, if that is your wish.”

“It is not just my wish. It is the Faerghus’, this entire family’s wish.” Dimitri reminded her, “We do not forgive or grant mercy lightly. All that betrays us, all that wish us harm and all that stands against us shall suffer in the eternal flames. That is our family’s way.”

“I know.” Byleth nodded.

The family did not take kindly to traitors.

Dimitri managed to take an hour long nap after that. Sleeping on a wooden chair didn’t look comfortable but Dimitri looked so relaxed for once that Byleth didn’t have the heart to wake him up and tell him to sleep in his room instead. That’s how her dad found them, sitting next to each other in the clinic. He simply sighed and said that everyone was ready to present their plan. At the sound of her dad’s voice, Dimitri was immediately up and alert. 

Their walk to the meeting room with Dimitri wheeling her (her dad tried but Dimitri was faster in grabbing the handles) was spent in… well, it was awkward as her dad tried to summarize everything Dimitri had missed, including the fact that the Leicester’s neutrality was to ensure Byleth’s safety in case Seiros-Faerghus lost.

When they got to the meeting room, their friends all look like they wanted to talk to Dimitri and hug him but Byleth shook her head. If Dimitri was skittish with someone he knew since he was a child, being in the middle of a group would probably end in a disaster. It seemed everyone understood her silent order and they stayed away. That didn’t stop them from trying to get Dimitri’s attention by smiling or waving at him.

Dimitri ignored them though which may have been worse.

Seteth seemed to decide that ignoring the drama happening around him was the best course of action and explained the plan they came up with using a map of Fodlan city and various blue and red soldier pieces. 

“By having Catherine lead the first wave, we can safely assume her team would be able to take over 50% of Magdred before reinforcement from Arundel and Hevring arrives.” Seteth explained, as he placed the blue soldier piece named Catherine in the middle of Magdred. He pushed two of the five unnamed red soldier pieces from Arundel and three of the four unnamed red soldier pieces from Hevring towards Magdred. 

“When the reinforcement appears, we can send in the second and third wave led by Gustave, Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix.” Seteth continued as the blue soldier pieces named Gustave and Ingrid were pushed towards the two red soldier pieces from Arundel and the blue soldier pieces named Felix and Sylvain were pushed towards the three soldier pieces from Hevring. 

“While our main force is engaged with the reinforcement, Dimitri will support Catherine in taking down the leader in Magdred.” Seteth continued, putting a blue soldier piece named Dimitri in the middle, “Once all members of Magdred are subdued, the reinforcements should fall back.”

Byleth looked at the map of Fodlan with the blue and red pieces connoting each district’s allegiance and strength silently for a moment before turning to stare at Claude.

Claude tapped his index finger on the table for a few seconds before announcing, “Leicester will take Myddrin, Hyrm and Airmid districts at the same time.”

Everyone but Byleth turned to stare at Claude with varying degrees of surprise.

“Oh fuck. The kid’s batshit crazy.” Rufus mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“Even with the return of the defectors from Leicester branch and the lesser number of Hresvelg members of all those three districts compared to Magdred, Arundel and Hevring districts, you do not have enough manpower to take over all three in one night.” Seteth stated in a forced calm tone as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, “And we cannot spare you members from Faerghus as well.”

“True. With only the Leicester branch members, it would be impossible.” Claude kept his eyes trained on Byleth as he put his hand inside his jacket. He stood and walked towards the Leicester side of the map, taking out something he hid in his clenched fist. He placed his fist on Derdriu district before moving it to the east side of the map. He opened his fist, a single gold coin dropping right in the middle of Almyra city. Claude’s lips curved into a smirk as he said, “But adding my men from Almyra will make it possible.”

Byleth’s eyes glanced at the coin for a second before returning her attention back to Claude as he proclaimed, “No. I can guarantee it.”

“Almyra is ruled by an unknown person only known as the king.” Byleth recalled and Claude nodded.

“That’s right.” 

Byleth sighed and asked in a tone a professor uses to ask if one of their troublesome students forgot to write their name on their test paper, “Claude… you wouldn’t happen to be the King of Almyra City, would you?”

Claude grinned as he replied, “ I prefer the term Shadow King. It sounds much cooler, right?”

“What. The. Fuck.” Her dad said in a disbelieving tone.

Felix was immediately on his feet, aiming his handgun at Claude’s head. Ingrid and Dedue moved towards Byleth and Dimitri as well, hands gripping the handle of their handgun but they didn’t aim it Claude yet.

“Felix!” Annette shouted about to rush to Felix’s side but Mercedes grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“Woah, woah, woah! Let’s all calm down now!” Sylvain said as he got on his feet as well, holding his hands up.

“The grandson of old man Riegan who appeared out of nowhere is the Shadow King of Almyra city.” Rufus recalled, taking out his own handgun and tapping it on the table, “Well, shit. No wonder we couldn’t find out your identity then. You’ve been keeping tabs on us all these years?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions now.” Claude said casually, looking as if he wasn’t a man currently just a trigger away from getting his head blown up.

“Claude.” Dimitri’s voice made everyone freeze. His eye was glaring at Claude but he remained behind Byleth as he asked in a surprisingly calm tone, “If you truly are the Shadow King of Almyra City and you’ve been fooling us all this time, give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip your heart out right now.”

“Well, for one, you don’t need to rip my heart out to have it.” Claude casually replied, winking at Byleth as he added, “Same goes for you, Milady.”

Dimitri took one menacing step towards Claude and Claude immediately took a step back as he answered, “And I don’t want to be your enemy. I really am a Riegan. It just so happens that I had enough free time to take over Almyra’s… well, underworld, I suppose.”

“Bullshit.” Felix growled as he glared at Claude.

“Felix, put the gun down.” Rodrigue ordered in a calm and even tone.

“Shut up, old man.” Felix retorted, keeping his attention to Claude.

“Reinforcements from Almyra will not come without a price.” Byleth commented, making everyone turn towards her. Byleth tilted her head at Claude as she asked, “What do you want in return, Shadow King of Almyra?”

“An alliance.” Claude replied seriously, “An exclusive alliance between us.”

Byleth turned her eyes towards Seteth as she remembered, “The family has not allied themselves to any other organization since Nemesis.”

Seteth’s lips curved into a frown as he elaborated, “Yes, our family once allied ourselves to another organization led by a despicable man named Nemesis. He betrayed our alliance later and almost wiped out the main family. Ever since then, we have kept to ourselves.”

“Which is a real shame.” Claude commented, placing his hand on top of Almyra city on the map. His eyes were trained at Byleth as he said, “The previous alliance was made between strangers but we’re not strangers, are we, Milady? I’d like to think of us as friends.”

Claude glanced at Dimitri as he added, “Or, at least, I think you as friends.”

Claude returned his attention to Byleth as he continued, “An alliance between our organization will be beneficial for both of us.”

Byleth tapped rested her right elbow on the armrest of her wheelchair. She rested her chin on her right hand as she commented, “The way I see it, this would benefit us more than you. Almyra is a larger city than Fodlan and reports have stated that many of your ventures are lucrative. Allying with you would mean more trade and business opportunities.”

“Ah, true, but the family’s long standing businesses and undeniable connection to certain people of high ranking positions is also of great interest to me.” Claude admitted with a boyish smile.

“I see.” Byleth hummed, staring at Claude for a few minutes. Sothis leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, her eyes never leaving Claude. Byleth nodded at Sothis’ assessments and ordered, “Assist us in ending this war with your Almyran forces and relinquish your right to lead Leicester branch afterwards.” 

Byleth raised an eyebrow as she added before Claude can speak, “Then we shall talk about an alliance.”

Claude stared at Byleth for a few seconds before he chuckled. He shook his head as he asked, “Really, Milady? I pour my heart out to you and you give me a ‘maybe’?”

“Think of it as your punishment for planning to take over the family.” Byleth said with a shrug.

“WHAT?!” 

That certainly got everyone riled up again. Claude blinked for a moment before he laughed, taking a few steps away from the table. Claude grinned at Byleth and asked with mirth in his eyes, “What makes you think I was planning to take over?”

“You had a plan in place before I returned, right?” Byleth didn’t wait for Claude to reply as she said, almost as if she was thinking out loud, “Aunt Rhea would have never agreed to an alliance. Uncle Seteth would also be hard to persuade. This would mean that, if you wanted the family’s businesses and connection, you would have to either take leadership of the family or you would need a head that will be amicable in forming an alliance with you.”

Sothis nodded behind Byleth as she asked, “You thought about it, haven’t you? Taking over the family. Did Edelgard beat you to it?”

Dimitri looked like he was ready to lunge at Claude but he replied immediately, “I wouldn’t have done what Edelgard did. A forceful takeover would mean a waste of resources and lives…”

“This war was unnecessary in the very beginning and I am quite the patient man.” Claude explained, “Even the head could not say no to an alliance if most of the members wish for an alliance.”

“I see. Have allies within the family that will agree to an alliance and pressure the head to accept your proposal.” Byleth mused, her lips curving into a small smile as she noted, “That does sound more like you.”

“I prefer the term friends but, sure, that’s pretty much the gist of it.” Claude grinned at Byleth. 

“I will trust you then, Claude.” Byleth nodded at Felix who reluctantly lowered his gun. 

“Thank you for your mercy, Milady.” Claude bowed at her.

“But the conditions remain. Aid us in this war and relinquish your right as leader of the Leicester after the war then we'll talk about an alliance.” Byleth reminded him.

“As you wish, Milady.” Claude continued to bow as he accepted the conditions.

Sothis’ lips curved into a mischievous grin as Byleth continued, “And you shall only have Gloucester and those who supported them to take into tonight’s op.”

Claude blinked at those words. He raised his head and said in a confused tone, “Huh?”

“Lead them to victory together with your men from Almyra.” Byleth ordered before adding, “I expect you to give me a report of how Gloucester and his followers act during that op and your honest opinion if they should still remain in the family.”

“I am happy that you believe that I can take over three districts without the loyalists from the Leicester branch but, now, I’m curious.” Claude rubbed the back of his head as he asked with a cheerful tone, “What would the loyalists of the Leicester branch be doing while I’m leading the op?”

At that question, Byleth turned her attention towards everyone and said, “Goneril, Edmund and Daphnel will become the second and third waves together with Gustave.”

She turned to her dad and said, “Dad will support Catherine in taking out the leader of Magdred.”

“Once Arundel and Hevring sends their reinforcements, Sylvain and Felix will move from Garreg Mach to hit Hevring district’s headquarters while Dimitri and Ingrid will move from the Western Church to hit Arundel district’s headquarters.” Byleth gripped the fabric of her skirt as she declared, “Tonight, we take down Edelgard’s uncle, Volkhard von Arundel.” 

Everyone was stunned by Byleth’s bold plan but no one objected to it. The plan was rehashed to include the Leicester loyalists and Claude gave input on their strengths. Dimitri remained silent for the rest of the meeting yet his blood sang. 

Tonight, he will kill Arundel. Tonight, he will be able to avenge them.

The meeting continued until well at lunchtime. Around lunchtime, Claude left to make his preparation and Rodrigue joined him to coordinate with the Leicester loyalists. Everyone was more subdued than usual as they ended their meeting, everyone making their own preparations. Dimitri followed Byleth as she was pushed by Flayn to the armory in the eleventh floor. There, Annette helped him pick a bodysuit that fitted him. His bodysuit was black and Annette had added a blue cross by the right side of his chest. The Blaiddyd symbol was added at the back of his suit. While Annette helped him with his equipment, he noticed Byleth was instructing Flayn to do something while she was holding his helmet but he didn’t know what it was. He picked the AK-47 that most members used during ops. It was easy to acquire so Dimitri could easily replace it once it loses ammo during the op. By the time he was ready, it was time for him and Ingrid to move to the Western Church. Byleth followed him to the parking lot where their team was waiting. 

It took him by surprise when he saw Rufus waiting near the elevator doors. He held out a suitcase towards Dimitri. When Dimitri only stared at it, Rufus sighed and opened it, showing Dimitri what was inside. It was a customized IMI Romat with a light gold finish. 

He remembered it.

“Areadbhar.” Dimitri whispered the name his father used to call the customized rifle he had ordered and maintained himself. 

“My brother always did have a dramatic flair for these kinds of shit.” Rufus gruffly commented but Dimitri could still hear the fondness his uncle try to hide. Dimitri slowly took the customized rifle out of the suitcase, holding it like it was a precious gem instead of a weapon meant to kill. Rufus closed the suitcase and said, “I think it’s time for you to own that.”

Rufus looked like he wanted to say something more but didn’t. Instead, he placed his hand on Dimitri’s shoulder and said with rage in his eyes, “Send Arundel my regards, nephew.”

Dimitri’s grip on the custom rifle tightened and he replied, “I will, uncle.”

Rufus nodded and he bowed at Byleth before he stepped to the side. Dedue, Ingrid and Ashe were waiting by the vans that would take them to the Western church but Dimitri paid them no mind for now, turning to face Byleth. He knelt in front of Byleth and declared, “I will take Arundel’s head.”

“Take him down however you wish, Dimitri.” Byleth said, taking one of Dimitri’s hand, “But promise me you will come back to me. No matter what happens, promise me.”

“I will always come back to you.” Dimitri promised with all his being, “No matter what.”

Byleth nodded and Flayn handed her the helmet and something else. Instead of putting on the helmet, Byleth gently removed Dimitri’s eyepatch. Dimitri froze but Byleth didn’t seem to mind as she gently but quickly put on a new eyepatch on Dimitri. After she was sure that it was secure, Byleth put the helmet on Dimitri’s head and Dimitri touched the eyepatch, feeling some kind of symbol embedded in the patch itself. Byleth placed her hand over Dimitri’s, “Flayn added a symbol in it. She told me it was the symbol of the main family used before the symbol of Seiros. The name of the symbol has been lost but everyone still knows what it means.”

“The symbol of flames.” Dimitri said, knowing what symbol Byleth was talking about. Everyone in the family knew about the unnamed symbol. 

It was a symbol that the main family only used when they wanted to send a message. 

“All who stand against us shall burn in the eternal flames.” Byleth recited and Dimitri could feel a chill down his spine at the sound of her voice. Byleth placed a hand on Dimitri’s chin and ordered, “Burn all that stands against you, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.”

“As my queen commands.” Dimitri whispered, taking Byleth’s hand and kissing her knuckles. Dimitri stood and walked towards one of the black vans. Dedue opened the van door for him and he went inside, taking note of his team, all members from his father’s team before and now his to command, and someone he only knew in passing.

He raised an eyebrow at Caspar and Caspar grinned at him, “Ashe asked for my transfer to your team. Hope that’s okay, Dimitri?”

Dimitri glanced outside at Ashe who was already on his motorcycle before replying to Caspar, “If Ashe trusts you then I shall too.”

“Great!” Caspar cheerfully said, making Ingrid shake her head fondly as she sat on the passenger’s side. Dedue turned on the engine and everyone grew silent as they drove to the Western Church.

The Western Church wasn’t a district but an actual church under the family’s control in western Fodlan. They didn’t really do anything with it and mostly use it to laundry extra money if necessary. The same was practice was done in the Eastern Church in eastern Fodlan. Everyone in Dimitri’s and Ingrid’s team waited inside the van they have parked right next to the church for the signal, their earpiece on and working. 

Annette had created three types of frequency for everyone in their team: The family frequency were every member, including the ones storming Myrddin, Airmid and Hyrm, could hear and speak, the op frequency were the teams storming Magdred, Arundel and Hevring could hear and speak and their team frequency were his and Ingrid’s team were the only ones who could hear and speak. 

For now, they all tuned in to the family frequency and was able to wear Catherine’s loud declaration which kickstarted the first part of the op just as the sun set.

“We are the swords of Seiros! By the orders of Lady Byleth Seiros, we are taking Magdred District! Any who stand in our way shall be cut down!”

A few minutes later, Claude’s voice cheerfully proclaimed, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now beginning Operation ‘Three-In-One-yes-we’re-sticking-to-that-name-Lorenz-Suck-it-up’. Operation title provided by our dear, not part of this op for today, Hilda Goneril, not me. Now remember, you are all being graded by yours truly so stick to the plan, show your good stuff and try not to die. Oh! And don’t accidentally hit any of my men, okay? That would put a sad face on your report.”

A lot of people sighed at that proclamation but Dimitri could hear a few laughters as well. 

Once they got confirmation that Catherine’s team has cleared thirty percent of Magred, Ingrid nodded at Ashe who left with Caspar to finally set up in the vantage point they all agreed on. Caspar may be a bit miffed at not being at the center of the action but Ashe needed a support he can trust and, other than Ingrid and Dimitri, Caspar was the one he could trust most in the team.

Once forty percent of Magred has been cleared, both Ingrid’s and Dimitri’s team made final checks and mentally prepared themselves. 

“Reinforcement from both Arundel and Hevring districts have been confirmed. Second and third waves have engaged.” Annette’s voice announced, “Blaiddyd, Galatea, Fraldarius and Gautier. You are all clear to engage.”

“Gautier and Fraldarius, copy.” Sylvain replied for his team and Felix’s.

Ingrid nodded at Dimitri so he replied, “Blaiddyd and Galatea, copy.”

Dedue turned on the engine and started to drive to Arundel’s mansion which was also the base of operation for the Hresvelg family in that district.

“Change to team frequency.” Dimitri ordered and they all changed to the team frequency. Once everyone confirmed in their status, Dimitri called out, “Ubert, status on Arundel.”

“Remaining forces is within the number we predicted. I have confirmed thirty members not including Arundel himself. Many more may be inside the mansion.” Ashe’s tone grew darker as he added, “I do not have a sight on Arundel but I have a sight on Rowe. Shall I take him out?”

“Wait for my order.” Dimitri replied before turning towards his and Ingrid’s team. He declared, “Everyone in that mansion is an enemy of our family.”

“Do not hesitate, do not show mercy and do not give anyone a chance. Rowe and his men betrayed us. Arundel and his men had a hand in the tragedy of six years ago. Every single one of them must be punished and we, members of Faerghus, are the one to execute our head’s orders in her name.” Dimitri’s grip on his custom rifle tightened as he ordered, “Kill every last one of them.”

“Yes, sir!” Everyone replied, including Ashe and Caspar which he heard from his ear piece. 

Dedue drove the van right through the gates of the mansion, turning the wheel so the van turned until the side facing the mansion was the side without the door. 

“Take him out.” Dimitri ordered and the van door opened in time with Ashe’s shot. 

“Kill confirmed.” Ashe announced in a calm tone, “Providing cover.”

Dimitri’s and Ingrid’s team moved out with Dimitri’s team taking the left side while Ingrid’s team took the right side. Dimitri and Ingrid glanced at each other and nodded before they joined their team. Dedue got out of the van and was immediately on Dimitri’s right, armed with an assault rifle like the rest of Dimitri’s team. 

Dimitri used the AK-47 and set it to manual as he led his team to the mansion’s entrance from the left side, shooting down everyone in their path. Ingrid’s team went to the right side and moved towards the back entrance. Dimitri could see Ashe taking out anyone who tried to use the windows from the second floor. He could barely see Rowe's corpse lying on the balcony at the second floor. 

One of them tried to attack him with the knife when he entered the mansion which he easily parried with his rifle. He pressed the muzzle of the rifle on the foolish man’s chest and fired twice. As the man went down on his knees, Dimitri fired a single shot on the man’s forehead. 

Arundel’s men fired on them from the top of the stairs but Dedue and three of his men immediately took out their bullet-proof shields. Dimitri’s team quickly crouched and the four shield-bearers raised their shields, protecting everyone from the hail of bullets from above. 

“Flash.” Dimitri ordered as he patted the shoulder of the man on his left who immediately took out a flash grenade, unpinned it and threw it in front of them. Everyone closed their eyes as the whole mansion erupted into a bright blinding flash of light. 

“Now!” Dimitri ordered and the four shield-bearers dropped their shield. Four of his men continuously fired at the top of the stairs as they quickly ascended the stairs. Once they reached the top, they took out any survivors who managed to escape or not get hit fatally by the continuous fire this team performed as they ascended the stairs. He barely heard Ingrid’s team enter from the back and take down any survivors his team might have left in the first floor. 

With Ingrid clearing all the rooms in the first floor and Ashe taking out any stragglers outside, Dimitri’s team focused on clearing out each room until they reached Arundel’s office. 

Arundel fired as soon as the door opened but it only grazed Dedue’s shield and Dimitri fired from the small gap between Dedue’s shield and the door frame. Arundel screamed as he was hit on the shoulder and Dedue stepped to the side, allowing Dimitri to enter the office. A quick nod from Dedue made the rest of his team continue to clear out the remaining rooms without them.

Dimitri took off his helmet and holstered his AK-47. He took out his father’s custom rifle and aimed it as Arundel. Arundel pressed a hand on his bleeding shoulder and glared at Dimitri as he mocked, “So, Seiros’ lapdog has come to do his master’s bidding.”

“Like father, like son.” Arundel hissed, glaring at Dimitri defiantly, “Go on then, execute me, nephew.” 

Dimitri took a step forward as he fired at Arundel’s left kneecap.

“Katya.” 

As Arundel goes down on his knees, howling in pain, Dimitri took another step forward and fired at his other kneecap.

“Viktor.” 

Dimitri took another step before he fired at the hand clutching his shoulder, making Arundel jerk back.

“Donovan.”

Dimitri stood in front of Arundel as he fired at Arundel’s other hand and the older man fell on his back.

“Glenn.”

Dimitri walked until he was right next to Arundel’s chest and fired one shot right into his guts as he said, “My father.”

Arundel coughed blood, breathing heavily. 

His eyes have lost their bravado and Dimitri could see the fear in them as tears fell.

Dimitri holstered his custom rifle and walked towards Arundel’s office table. He could hear Arundel continue to breathe heavily as he slowly bled out and the roaring voices of the dead asked for more.

Not enough. It wasn’t enough. 

More. More. More. More. More. More.

Make him suffer!

Dimitri silently ordered them to shut up as he opened a drawer, taking out a bottle of grain alcohol. Everyone knew Arundel had a soft spot for the overly strong grain alcohol. He walked back to Arundel and opened the bottle.

He poured the alcohol on Arundel, starting from his head until he reached the man’s legs, all the while proclaiming, “Volkhard von Arundel.”

Dimitri threw the empty bottle to the side, not caring as it shattered upon impact. He took out a matchbox from one of the pockets of his bodysuit as he continued, “For betraying the Seiros Family, for assisting Edelgard von Hresvelg, for the assasination of Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd and for causing the death of Katya, Victor, Donovan and Glenn.”

Dimitri took out a matchstick as he continued, “Your punishment is death.”

“Stop… please…”

Dimitri quickly drag the match head along the side of the matchbox, “By the orders of my queen, the Lady Byleth of Seiros.”

“Dimit- sto-”

Dimitri threw the burning match at Arundel as he proclaimed coldly, “May your soul suffer in the eternal flames.”

Arundel screamed as the fire spread all throughout his body.

And Dimitri watched as the voices cheered.

He stayed there, rooted at the spot, watching as Arundel writhe and scream until he finally stopped. 

Yet, he still stayed, listening to the whispers of the dead.

It was only when one of his men called out to him, “Sir.”

The whispers stopped and Dimitri turned towards the entrance, noticing for the first time that Dedue had silently stayed with him. He nodded at Dedue before turning his attention to the man at the door, “What is it?”

“We…” The man started but it seemed he couldn’t find the right word to use so he simply said, “It would be better if you see for yourself, sir.”

Dimitri turned towards Dedue who shook his head, also not knowing what it was. Without anything else to do, Dimitri followed the man towards the end of the hallway, at the last room where the rest of his team were all huddled together. 

“Sir Dimitri…” One of the older members of his team said with a pained expression on his face. Dimitri remembered he was one of his father’s oldest team members and he had watched Dimitri grow up. They all parted to let Dimitri enter the room.

He entered the room.

And the voices started screaming.

Byleth got confirmation of Arundel’s death first. It seemed his death spread quickly as the surviving members of Arundel’s reinforcement quickly surrendered. Catherine executed the leader of the Magdred district a few minutes later and the Hevring reinforcement retreated back to Hevring district. Sylvain’s and Felix’s team had just finished clearing the headquarters in Hevring district and they managed to attack the remnants of the Hevring forces via a pincer attack together with Judith von Daphnel who had chased after them. 

There was no lost on their side, only a few cuts and bruises. Overall, the op on Faerghus’ side was a success.

It would be around five more minutes before Claude informed them that his op was also a success. His Almyran forces and the Leicester defectors also did not suffer any lost. A huge part of their success was due to the remote support of Lysithea who hacked all three districts and made the enemy members easy target. It left a bitter taste on some of the people who heard about it, especially Annette, as they knew this had been what Lysithea had done that got Sylvain’s two team members dead and Sylvain himself almost dying.

But a win was still a win and that was what they were trying to focus on. 

So now, Byleth, together with Flayn, Mercedes, Annette, Rufus and Rodrigue waited for the teams to return to the parking lot. The first to arrive was Ashe who looked like he had drove as fast as he could to get back as soon as possible. He didn’t even get off his motorcycle as he took off his helmet and announced, “Sir! Sir Rufus!”

“What?!” Rufus shouted, unable to hide the worry on his voice, “Is Dimitri okay?!”

Byleth’s heart started beating too fast for her comfort. 

Was Dimitri okay?

There was no mention when the op on Arundel was reported but they could have easily omitted it so not to lower the morale.

“Um, please try to stay calm.” Ashe quickly asked just as the van Dimitri and Ingrid took drove into the parking lot. 

Rufus didn’t wait for Ashe to reply, rushing towards the van as it parked right next to them. He opened the door without waiting for the engine to turn off, “Dimitri!”

“Uncle.” Dimitri’s voice came out from the van and it sounded… calm.

Too calm.

Rufus froze right in front of the opened van.

“Rufus?” Rodrigue took a step towards the van, worried for his friend, but stopped when Rufus screamed.

“You fucking whore!” 

Byleth heard a woman scream as Rufus lunged inside the van. He got out almost immediately, dragging a woman by the hair. He threw the woman to the ground roughly.

Rodrigue’s breath hitched as he said in a disbelieving tone, “Patricia.”

Byleth watched silently as the woman picked herself up, sitting on the floor as she cried. She wore a light yellow dress, a bit dirty but otherwise fine. Other than a scratch on her arm which she could have gotten when Rufus roughly threw her to the floor, she seemed to be unharm as well. She had long light brown hair and her eyes were the same shade as Edelgard’s.

“Her mother.” Sothis whispered, realizing who the crying woman was. 

Patricia von Arundel cried as she looked around, her eyes focusing on Byleth almost immediately.

“Please, please, have mercy, Lady Byleth.” Patricia begged as she crawled towards Byleth. Before she could reach her, Dimitri was already in front of Byleth, the muzzle of his custom rifle pressed against her forehead.

“Stay away from her.” Dimitri growled, pushing Patricia back with the muzzle of his custom rifle hard.

Patricia fell to the floor once more and she began to cry, “Please, Dimitri. Please, you have to believe me. My brother made me do it. He said he’ll kill me too if I didn’t help him. I didn’t want to. I love your father. I love you.”

“You fucking liar!” Rufus screamed, taking out his handgun and aiming it at Patricia. Patricia cowered from Rufus and lifted her hands to shield her face. Rufus’ hands shook as he screamed, “You shut your fucking mouth! Do you think we’re stupid?! If your bastard of a brother was forcing you, you could have told any of us! You could have told Lambert!”

Rufus took a step towards Patricia and she backed away almost immediately, “My brother loved you! Dimitri loved you! And what the fuck did you do?! You worked with that fucking piece of shit Arundel to… to… to… Fuck!”

Rufus screamed and slammed his fist on the side of the van before lunging at Patricia, dropping his gun on the ground. He grabbed her by the shoulder roughly and wailed, “You killed him! You killed my baby brother!”

Rufus raised his hand as he screamed, “You fucking piece of-”

“Enough.” Byleth’s voice and everyone held their breath. Byleth stared at Rufus silently until the older man finally let go of Patricia and she fell to the ground, crying pitifully. Byleth turned towards Dimitri who only looked at Patricia and his uncle with an emotionless stare. She moved her wheelchair towards Dimitri and held his hand. Dimitri’s breath hitched and he turned to look at her. His grip tightened as he looked at her with such sadness that her heart broke.

She turned towards Patricia and announced, “Patricia von Arundel, you have been found guilty in conspiring with your brother and Cornelia that resulted in the death of Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd as well as everyone who had been with him that day.”

She turned towards Dimitri once more as she continued, “Your fate shall be decided by the Blaiddyds.”

Dimitri’s eye widened at those words and his hand began to tremble against her grip. She pulled his hand towards her, forcing Dimitri to kneel. She placed her hand on his cheek as she whispered, “Whatever you choose, whatever path you take, I will always be by your side.”

She leaned in and whispered to his ear, “Do what you want, Dimitri, not what the ghosts want.”

She leaned away and kissed Dimitri on the forehead. Dimitri tightened his hold on her hand while his other hand grabbed her wheelchair’s armrest. He leaned in, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he took a few deep breaths. 

Then he stood. 

He walked towards Patricia and gently grabbed her shoulders. Patricia stood and held unto Dimitri’s arms as she whispered, “Thank you, oh, thank you, Dimitri. I’m so sorry I left you alone all this time. I swear to you, I will ne-” 

Dimitri grabbed her by the jaw, cutting her words, and she whimpered as his grip tightened. His eye was cold but his words were soft as he whispered, “No more lies, mother.”

Dimitri turned his eye towards his uncle and nodded. Dimitri removed his hand from Patricia’s jaw as his uncle grabbed his handgun from the ground.

Dimitri kissed Patricia on the cheek before whispering, “Goodbye, mother.”

Dimitri turned around and walked back to Byleth as Patricia begged, “Please, Dimitri, ple-”

The sound of the gun going off echoed all over the parking lot. Patricia’s body fell to the ground with a thud, blood pooling out of the bullet hole at the back of her head. 

Rufus dropped the handgun and bitterly whispered, “May your soul fucking suffer in the eternal flames, you bitch.”

Dimitri stopped in front of Byleth and placed a hand on one of the handles of her wheelchair before he asked in a soft broken voice, “May I?”

Byleth nodded and Flayn stepped to the side to let Dimitri take the handles of Byleth’s wheelchair. No one said a single word as Dimitri wheeled her to the elevator. No one followed them as he took his card and pressed the button for the twenty-first floor.

They were silent the entire way to the twenty-first floor and Dimitri didn’t say anything even as he wheeled her to her room. He placed the wheelchair right next to her bed and took off his bodysuit, letting them fall to the floor. Once he was left wearing only his combat boots, his long sleeve black shirt and his black combat trousers, he sat on the floor in front of Byleth and rested his head on her lap. She took one of his hands and held it on her lap while her other hand caressed Dimitri’s hair. Patiently, she waited for Dimitri’s next move.

“I killed Arundel.” Dimitri whispered, tightening his grip on Byleth’s hand. It wasn’t painful. No matter how strong Dimitri was, he was always careful around Byleth. 

“I killed him and the voices cheered.” Dimitri confessed, “But they haven’t left. Even now, even after Arundel is dead. Even after she is dead. I…”

“Still, I hear them. Still, they ask for more tributes.” Dimitri raised his head to look at Byleth imploringly, tears falling from his eye, “How many more… how many more must I kill to satisfy them?”

Byleth gently touched Dimitri’s cheek, leaning towards Dimitri as she said, “You know they will never be satisfied, Dimitri. The two people who had planned the tragedy six years ago are dead. Who else are you to offer them? For what reason would they ask for more? They ask because you listen. They grow hungrier, the more you satisfy them. As long as you listen to them, they will continue to ask for more.”

“Then what do I do?” Dimitri covered her hand, pressing it against his cheek, “Please, tell me, what must I do? What must I do… to make them stop?”

“Stop listening.” Byleth whispered softly, resting her forehead on Dimitri’s, “Stop listening to the voices. Stop living for the dead. Live for what you believe in…”

“Live, Dimitri.” She gently forced Dimitri to look at her as she whispered, “Not for the dead, not for anyone else, not for me… live for yourself.”

“For myself?” Dimitri repeated. He let out a broken sad chuckle before he said, “I am nothing but a shell. If not for the dead… if not for you… then what do I live for?” 

“You’re not a shell, Dimitri.” Byleth put both of her hands on Dimitri’s cheeks as she softly said, “A shell would not feel the pain you are feeling now. Dimitri…”

“If you do not know what you want to live for then find it.” Byleth wrapped her arms around Dimitri’s shoulders and pulled him towards her. She rested her chin on Dimitri’s shoulder as she promised, “It doesn’t have to be today. It doesn’t have to be tomorrow. You can take your time, Dimitri. You can look for as long as you need to. If the answer seems so far away then take small steps. Do what you want to do for the day. Get something you’ve always wanted but denied yourself. And no matter how long it would take, no matter how hard the days in between may seem, I promise you I will be by your side the entire way.”

Byleth closed her eyes as she proclaimed, “Not as the head of the family you are in but as myself, as Byleth, as your ally, your friend…”

“... your…” Byleth stopped, unsure how to continue.

Dimitri gently pushed her slightly so he could see her face. He tucked a few strands of her hair back before gently caressing her cheek as he whispered, “My…”

“Dimitri.” Byleth whispered back as their faces slowly closed the gap between them.

“I…” Dimitri asked in a soft hesitant voice, “Would you listen to a selfish wish of mine? A wish I’ve had ever since… ever since that night?”

“I think you should be more selfish in general.” Byleth commented softly, a sweet smile appearing on her face. She wasn’t sure if Dimitri was changing the subject or if it was connected to the small steps she had said. 

“I wish to stay by your side. I wish to stay without making the excuse that I was staying because I am a shell.” Dimitri admitted, resting his head on her forehead, their noses already touching, “I wish to hold you in my arms. I wish… I wish to kiss you. Ever since that day, that night among the waves, I wished with all my heart to kiss you.”

“These thoughts, these wishes, they are mine and mine alone.” Dimitri whispered, his lips just inches away from hers, “Not the dead’s, not anybody else’s but mine alone.”

“Will you…” Dimitri’s tone was hesitant as he asked, “May I?”

Byleth didn’t answer him with words. Instead, she closed the gap between them, tilting her head slightly as she captured his lips with hers in a gentle soft kiss. Dimitri’s hands rested on her waist while hers cupped his cheeks. 

Their first kiss was chaste and gentle but, as they part, Byleth couldn’t help but grab Dimitri by the back of his neck. 

Their second kiss was passionate and hot. Dimitri pressed her against her wheelchair as he deepened the kiss. Byleth moaned in disappointment when Dimitri pulled slightly back to ask, “Is this okay?”

“God, yes.” Byleth whispered back, almost not finishing her last word as Dimitri captured her lips once more.

Their third kiss was just as passionate as the second but held the gentleness of the first. Dimitri's grip on her waist tightened as she was pressed further against the wheelchair which was quite uncomfortable. She pulled away slightly to whisper, "Bed." 

Dimitri gulped but obediently took Byleth in his arms and gently laid her on the bed next to them. Byleth kept her hands at the back of Dimitri's neck, pulling him towards her. Dimitri placed his knees between her legs and his hands returned to her waist as their lips met once more. They continue to kiss over and over again, pulling away between kisses to breath for a moment. Between what may have been their eighth or twelfth kiss (Byleth wasn’t really counting), Dimitri fell on the bed right beside her. They were facing each other, their faces inches away from one another. She placed a hand on his cheek, caressing it with her thumb. Dimitri closed his eye as he whispered, "Can I sleep with you?" 

Byleth's hand froze. 

A moment later, Dimitri's eye opened wide and his cheeks turned an adorable shade of red aa he stuttered, "That's not- I mean- I would love to but I do- not right now- I mean-" 

Byleth softly chuckled, caressing Dimitri's hair affectionately. She kissed Dimitri on the lips quickly before resting her head at the nook of his shoulder, "Yes. I'd love it if we sleep together." 

Dimitri sighed in relief and wrap his arms around Byleth. Byleth wrapped her arms around Dimitri too and closed her eyes. As she felt Dimitri relax, Byleth couldn't help but teased, "And I will say yes if you ever asked for the other kind of sleeping." 

Dimitri groaned and buried his face on the crown of Byleth's hair as he mumbled, "Please do not tease me." 

"I'm not." Byleth rubbed Dimitri's back as she amended, "Well, I was teasing you but… I do mean it. When you're ready, if you do want to…" 

She let the sentence die, knowing Dimitri understood what she was saying. Right now wasn't the right time but later, in the future, maybe… 

Maybe.

Byleth woke up to the sound of a door opening and Flayn going, “Good morning, Byleth! Everyone is re- Oh my!”

Dimitri immediately woke at the sound and his sudden movement caused Byleth to groan as she opened her eyes.

“This better be important.” Sothis grumpily hissed from her other side, never liking any interruption to her sleep. Byleth pushed herself to sit and saw Flayn by the door, smiling brightly with her hands on her cheeks. Behind her, she could see her entire council staring at them with varying emotions on their face. 

Sylvain and Claude were grinning maniacally. Ashe was trying to look at the ground but would glance at them once in a while while blushing. Mercedes was smiling at them with one hand on her cheek. Annette was trembling with excitement and a big smile on her face as she tugged at Felix’s sleeve. Felix, on the other hand, looked like he was just so done with everything. Dedue and Ingrid were smiling at both of them and… they looked ready to cry? 

Rodrigue was smiling at them gently while Rufus was covering his mouth with his hand but there was mirth in his eyes. Seteth was pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing in resignation.

Her dad had an eyebrow raised at her and she understood it immediately.

‘Really? Right now? You guys decided to do this right now?’

“Um.” Dimitri was as red as a tomato at the stare they were both receiving. Byleth took his hand to hers which seemed to calm him down.

“Good morning, Flayn.” Byleth nodded at her smiling cousin before raising an eyebrow at the rest, “Good morning, everyone.”

There was a chorus of different greetings with the exception of Sylvain’s “Not as good as last night, I bet.” and Claude’s “Best morning ever, Milady.” which everyone ignored. Except Ingrid who smacked Sylvain on the back of the head and glared at Claude.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Byleth asked.

“We believe we should talk about our next course of action during breakfast.” Seteth explained seriously, “Hresvelg will surely retaliate and we have gotten reports of what may be their next move.” 

“Okay.” Byleth rubbed her eyes as Sothis groaned while pressing her face on the pillow as she said, “Let me change first. I shall see you all in the restaurant? Or will we be eating in the meeting room?”

“The meeting room will be better.” Seteth replied with a nod. 

“I shall help you get ready, Byleth!” Flayn enthusiastically said as she entered the room.

“We’ll help too!” Annette pulled Mercedes inside. 

Ingrid went in as she stuttered, a light blush decorating her cheeks, “Um, I’ll stay as it is my duty to guard Miss whenever I do not have a mission.”

Sylvain and Claude took it as their cue to enter the room as well.

“And how about we help our dear pal Dimitri then?” Claude said with too much cheer in his voice to actually be sincere. 

“Yes, my dear friend Claude! What a wonderful idea!” Sylvain agreed with a dramatic flare. Dimitri got out of bed and tried to quickly leave the room but Sylvain and Claude managed to grab both of his arms.

“Now then, Dimitri! Let’s go to your room and get you ready for breakfast!” Sylvain happily announced with a huge grin on his face which Claude nodded to.

Dimitri stared at Byleth as he was dragged away with a pleading expression on his face. Byleth smiled at him and waved.

Dimitri hadn’t lashed out. He hadn’t even shouted at them. 

It seemed he was, subconsciously or not, trying to take small steps. 

As Dimitri was dragged out of her room, Ashe trailing after them with a grin on his face and Dedue bowing at her before following them to Dimitri’s room, her dad rubbed the back of his head as he mumbled, “I need a drink.”

They barely heard Sylvain exclaimed cheerfully, “So, Dimitri, would you do us the honor and declaring who won the bet?!”

“Sylvain!” Dimitri’s scandalous tone made Sylvain and Claude laugh loudly as the door to Dimitri’s room closed.

Felix stared at the ceiling as he mumbled, “Idiots. They’re all idiots.”

Rodrigue stared at Felix with a raised eyebrow as his son walked towards Dimitri’s room and he chuckled when his son entered the room without a word.

Seteth sighed as he admitted, “ _ I  _ need a drink.”

“The bar’s open at this time.” Rufus suggested and her dad wrapped his arms around him.

“Music to my ears.” Her dad said and he forced Rufus to walk with him towards the elevator, followed by Seteth. 

“It’s too early!” Rodrigue reminded them as he followed, shaking his head, most probably bemoaning the fact that he was the last remaining responsible adult in Byleth’s council. 

Once Ingrid closed the door, the three other women were immediately on Byleth’s bed. 

“Soooo…?” Annette asked with a grin on her face.

“You must tell us everything, Byleth!” Flayn exclaimed.

“Lady Flayn! Annette!” Ingrid scolded, “Lady Byleth doesn’t need to tell you anything.”

“That’s right.” Mercedes nodded with a sweet smile, making Ingrid sighed in relief. Mercedes clapped her hands as she asked instead, “We don’t need to know everything! Just a few details would be wonderful.”

Ingrid covered her face with the palm of her hand.

“So, Miss? Did he say he loves you before he kissed you?” Annette asked giddily.

“Oh, but the idea of a sudden unexpected kiss brought by a crash of pent-up emotions would be wonderful as well!” Flayn commented with both her hands on her cheeks. 

“Oh my! Lady Flayn!” Mercedes said and giggled. 

Sothis grinned as she commented, “It seems they will not stop unless you give them something.”

Byleth could clearly see that. Even Ingrid looked like she was interested even though she was trying her hardest to not show it. Byleth sighed and said, “Fine.”

All four women looked at her expectedly and Byleth continued, “But only after I’m ready for breakfast.”

Those appeared to be magic words as Byleth was whisked away and had gotten ready so quickly she wasn’t sure what had happened. While Flayn and Ingrid had helped her in the bathroom, Mercedes and Annette had prepared her outfit. Prepared wasn’t really an accurate word to use as they simply got her a white short sleeved dress that ends by her knees. The dress had small pale red and pale pink flowers all over. They also gave her a long soft peach colored shawl to cover her legs. They combed her hair and worked together so that they could braid her long hair into a single simple braid. 

She looked nice and elegant even with the simplicity of her outfit.

And now she had four women eagerly waiting for her to keep her end of the bargain. Byleth sighed as Sothis chuckled behind her. She supposed she could throw them a bone.

“We kissed.” Byleth said bluntly.

Annette and Flayn squealed. Ingrid also squealed but she tried to cover it up by coughing. Mercedes simply placed her hand on her cheek as she said, “Oh my.”

Annette and Flayn leaned forward as Annette asked, “And? How was it? Did he kissed you like you were the most important thing in the entire world?”

“Or did he kiss you like you were the only glass of water left in a vast desert?” Flayn asked after Annette.

Byleth glanced at Sothis who shrugged, also not sure what Flayn was trying to describe.

She supposed Flayn was asking if the kiss was passionate?

Byleth crossed her left arm and rested her right elbow on the armrest of her chair as she tilted her head slightly to the side. She thought about it for a moment before replying, “Both, I suppose?”

“Oh my!” Mercedes exclaimed, clapping her hands, “Does that mean the two of you kissed more than once?”

Annette and Flayn squealed happily when Byleth nodded and Ingrid’s cheeks had turned a soft shade of pink as she asked curiously, “Di-did you two do anything more than kiss, Miss?”

Byleth was surprised that it was Ingrid who asked that question while Annette and Flayn went red as they giddily waited for Byleth to reply.

“Oh, I suppose Sylvain did have a negative effect on Ingrid after all.” Sothis commented with an amused look.

“No, we just kiss.” Byleth replied but sighed when Sothis raised an eyebrow at her, “And we slept together.”

Annette and Flayn squealed once more and Ingrid’s face was so red she looked like was having a heatstroke. Mercedes giggled before saying, “I’m sure Miss meant actual sleeping, right?”

Byleth nodded and watched as Annette’s and Flayn’s face fell. Even Ingrid looked disappointed. Annette turned towards Mercedes as she asked, “How did you know, Mercie?”

“Well, if they did more than just sleep then they would be wearing less than the clothes they wore yesterday, right?” Mercedes reasoned and smiled as she added with a shrug, “Except Dimitri’s body suit, of course.”

“Oh yeah!” Annette looked at the discarded body suit on the floor as she mused, “I should bring that back to the armory and check it too.”

Annette turned back towards Byleth as she asked, “Anyway, did he hold you in his arms the entire time you were sleeping?”

“Oh, did he whisper sweet nothings to your ear until you fall asleep?” Flayn asked giddily.

“Sir Dimitri looks more like the type to declare he’ll keep you safe and protect you than whisper sweet nothings.” Ingrid mused out loud, finally giving up any pretense that she was above all this. 

“He also looks like the type who would like to cuddle.” Mercedes added with a giggle.

Thankfully, Byleth was saved from confirming (or denying) any of their questions as the door opened all of a sudden. Everyone immediately stopped and turned to look at the door. Dimitri entered the room but stopped, noticing all of the women in the room was staring at him. Annette and Flayn was smiling brightly at him. Mercedes was smiling sweetly at him. Ingrid had a small grin directed at him.

Dimitri felt like he just walked into a trap.

The other men stayed outside and watched the scene with amusement.

"Woah, Dimitri. Really? Just like that? No knocking and going..." Sylvain cleared his throat before mimicking Dimitri's polite expression and tone, "Pardon the intrusion, Miss."

Claude chuckled before he told Sylvain, "Obviously Dimitri and Milady are in that stage where there's no need to knock..." 

Claude's grin turned salacious as he added, "... at all." 

Dimitri raised his eye to the ceiling and seemed to be asking for strength while the women except Byleth giggled. Byleth sighed and shook her head before asking Dimitri directly, “Shall we get going then?”

“Yes.” Dimitri nodded and walked towards her. She let their hands touch as he passed her, making him smile at her before he took hold of her wheelchair’s handles which Flayn and Annette saw and squealed. He wheeled her out of her room and everyone followed them. 

Byleth kept quiet as their friends talked, keeping the topic light. She noticed that they tried to include Dimitri in their conversation with Ashe asking if Dimitri has read a fantasy novel he had just finished reading last night, Annette and Mercedes talking about the cookies they baked using a new recipe they found online and asking Dimitri if he’d like to have tea with them and even Claude asked Dimitri’s opinion about Lorenz new hairstyle of all things. 

That one Dimitri had to reply “I haven’t seen Lorenz in two years ago, Claude.” which made it a bit awkward but Claude quickly recovered and showed him photos of Lorenz with his new haircut that he and Hilda had taken covertly. (How Hilda was able to take pictures of Lorenz when she was supposed to be part of the ops in Faerghus yesterday was a mystery that Byleth wanted to ask)

When they reached the meeting room, everyone had managed to make Dimitri give more than just brief replies and Sylvain even managed to make him chuckle softly. Byleth didn’t know if anyone noticed but she felt Dimitri’s hand would touch her arm a few times. She wasn’t sure if he did it to anchor himself or to remind himself that this was real but when his hand would linger longer than usual, she would pat it gently. It seemed to help Dimitri relax.

Inside the meeting room, Byleth raised an eyebrow when she saw two people who weren’t part of her council.

“‘Morning, guys!” Caspar greeted cheerfully before continuing to devour his plate of bacon and eggs. Next to him, Linhardt had his eyes closed while resting his chin on his arms. 

“Good morning, Caspar.” Ashe greeted back as he took a seat next to the energetic blue-haired man. 

Dimitri wheeled her to the head of the table before taking a seat on her left side. Her dad was on her right side while Claude took a seat on Dimitri’s other side. Everyone else took a seat as well and either looked at Caspar or at Seteth who was on the other end of the table.

“Linhardt apparently has news for us.” Seteth explained before he started to eat. That seemed to be everyone’s cue to eat if they wanted to.

Byleth ignored her plate for now as she turned towards the sleeping green-haired man. She has only heard about Linhardt in passing. Linhardt was apparently a distant relative to the main family but it was too distant that his family had no real place in the main family’s hierarchy. Caspar shook Linhardt as he said, “Come on, Linhardt. Wake up.”

“Ugh.” Linhardt sighed tiredly before opening his eyes. He slowly sat straight and hummed for a moment. Linhardt turned to look at Dimitri and drawled, “Oh, you’re still alive. That’s wonderful.”

Dimitri nodded as he replied, “Thanks to you and Marianne.”

Linhardt waved his hand dismissively, “Oh, it was nothing. I just didn’t want you to die in Marianne’s homeless shelter. They have fantastic beds.”

“Wait. You’re with Marianne?” Claude asked, humming before he mused out loud, “Interesting. Marianne didn’t say you defected to Leicester.”

“I didn’t.” Linhardt correctly with a shrug, “I ran away so I’m homeless. Marianne’s homeless shelter is my safe haven.”

Linhardt’s eyes grew dark as he mumbled, “I don’t want anything to do with this unnecessary bloodshed.”

“If that is true then why are you here?” Byleth asked, staring at Linhardt with a blank expression.

“I would like to offer a piece of valuable information in exchange for… well, the family likes to call it your mercy, right?” Linhardt replied as he stared at Byleth.

“My mercy?” Byleth repeated, making Linhardt nod.

“As everyone in the family know, refusing or neglecting to aid or heed the call of the head is considered a betrayal. Once you win this war, Faerghus will start ‘cleaning house’ as well.” Linhardt glanced at Claude before continuing, “Leicester branch has obviously been neutral under the main family’s orders, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct.” Byleth nodded.

“Then Marianne will be safe as she has always been Claude von Riegan’s supporter.” Linhardt stated, almost as if he was talking to himself. He glanced at Sylvain before continuing, “I would like to offer this information in exchange for your mercy towards me and…”

“Lysithea von Ordelia.” Linhardt stated, making Annette sit straight while Felix’s grip on his fork tightened so hard the fork bent slightly. 

“I see.” Byleth rested her elbow on the armrest of her chair. She wasn't sure the relationship between Linhardt and Lysithea was but she could see that the green haired man was serious about her safety. She tilted her head slightly so her cheek rested against her knuckles as she said, “Lysithea von Ordelia is currently a hostage under the Goneril family for defecting and aiding the Hresvelg which led to the death of three family members, including the Gautier’s oldest son Miklan.”

Sylvain’s eyes darkened but he kept quiet. 

“Whatever information you might be able to give us would have to be of great value if it would be used in granting mercy to both you and her.” Byleth informed Linhardt before adding, “However, as you have saved Dimitri before…”

Byleth reached her right hand and Dimitri immediately took it, holding it gently, “I will grant you mercy in exchange for what you have done.”

“Oh?” Linhardt was surprised by that.

“But only you, Linhardt.” Byleth emphasized, “So whatever information you would be telling us will determine Lysithea’s fate.”

Linhardt hummed once more before nodding, “That sounds fair.”

Linhardt bowed slightly as he said, “Thank you for your mercy, Lady Byleth.”

“So what information do you have for us?” Byleth asked, making everyone, even Caspar, stop eating to stare at Linhardt.

Linhardt seemed a bit unnerved by the stares but his voice was clear as he said, “I visit Doctor Hanneman frequently. He is the leading medical researcher in charge of the cure for Lysithea’s illness. I am unsure if you know already but Doctor Hanneman is also a… well, I suppose we can call him a supporter of the family. Adrestia branch, I suppose Hresvelg now, have been giving donation to his research for years. In exchange, we receive unofficial reports of leading advancements in the field of medicine and, sometimes, sample medicines.” 

“Doctor Hanneman is quite fond of me and does not mind if I poke around. I noticed that the donation have gotten quite larger in the last three years.” Linhardt continued, “Of course, I got curious so I dug around and found the list of possible test subjects for human trials.”

“Lysithea was there, of course, with a pending status but the one that surprised me was…” Everyone was surprised at Linhardt’s next words, “Edelgard von Hresvelg’s name in the rejected status.” 

Everyone was silent for a few moments, processing what Linhardt had just said.

Surprisingly, it was Dimitri who spoke next, “What do you mean she’s in the rejected status?”

“According to what I read, she was rejected because her illness has already reached its last stage.” Linhardt answered cooly.

“That would mean…” Annette mumbled.

“Edelgard von Hresvelg is dying.” Rodrigue spoke what everyone was thinking out loud. 

“Yes.” Linhardt replied with a nod, “From Doctor Hanneman’s findings, he hypothesized that those in the last stage have a maximum of five years to live once they reach that stage. The result for Edelgard’s status was made four years ago. That would mean she only has until next year if Doctor Hanneman’s hypothesis is correct.”

“Is this…” Ashe lowered his eyes as he asked, “Did she waged this war because…”

“It doesn’t matter if she’s dying.” Felix said as he glared at his plate.

“Felix is right.” Ingrid’s tone was calm but her eyes were burning with repressed anger, “No matter the reasons, no matter the circumstances, it does not excuse her actions.” 

“Please do not misunderstand me.” Linhardt drawled before anyone could say anything else, “I am not pleading for Edelgard’s mercy, of course. Her actions are her own and I don’t think she would accept mercy even if it was given. The information I am using to trade is much more valuable.”

“Oh?” That got Byleth’s attention.

“Isn’t it strange that two members of our family has the same terminal illness?” Linhardt asked, his voice becoming more animated as he continued, “It sounds a bit too much to be just a coincidence, wouldn’t you say? So I researched what Lysithea and Edelgard could have in common.”

“And the only thing they have in common is that they have a Seiros as an ancestor.” Linhardt revealed, making Seteth’s eyes widened. Everyone could only listen as Linhardt continued, “Since I also had a Seiros ancestor, I asked Doctor Hanneman to check me as well.”

“I also have the markers of the same illness Lysithea and Edelgard has.” Linhardt continued with a smile on his face.

“WHAT?!” Caspar was up on his feet immediately, making Linhardt frown.

“Please do not interrupt, Caspar. I am just getting to the good part.” Linhardt chided lightly.

“To hell with that! Are you saying you’re dying too?!” Caspar shouted worriedly as he grabbed both of Linhardt’s shoulders.

“What? No.” Linhardt sighed and patted one of Caspar’s hands currently gripping his shoulder tightly as he said, “I have the marker only. This means I’m a carrier. I’m okay, Caspar. I don't have the illness but any of my future children, if I do have one, will either be a carrier of the marker like me or will have the illness later in their life.”

“Oh, thank god.” Caspar sighed as he fell back to his chair. Ashe patted his back gently.

“Anyway.” Linhardt easily dismissed Caspar’s worries and continued, “Three different people with each a different Seiros ancestor but all of them have the marker for the illness, either as a carrier or as a recipient. This would mean…” 

“Anyone with Seiros blood could have this illness and not know about it.” Annette concluded, her eyes wide. Dimitri’s grip on Byleth’s hand tightened.

Linhardt nodded at Annette with a small smile, “That’s right.”

“Well, Lady Byleth?” Linhardt tilted his head as he drawled, “Wouldn’t you say that a possible deadly illness the main family may have is a valuable information worthy of your mercy?”

Byleth stared at Linhardt silently for a few seconds before she nodded, “Yes. You have brought a very valuable information.”

“I shall grant Lysithea von Ordelia mercy.” Byleth announced, noticing that both Annette and Felix had warring emotions in their eyes, “However, her mercy will have conditions.”

Linhardt sighed as he mumbled, “I expected as much.”

“Lysithea von Ordelia will participate in the trials.” Byleth declared before turning to Claude, “She is also to stay under Claude von Riegan’s control for the remainder of her life.”

Everyone was surprised by that announcement. Seteth couldn’t help but stutter as he asked, “By-Byleth, Claude will be returning to Almyra after this war. Are you sayin-” 

“Yes.” Byleth nodded as she confirmed, “As part of our future alliance with the Shadow King of Almyra, Lysithea von Ordelia will become Almyra’s property as a show of good faith.”

“Well…” Claude blinked as he mumbled, “Shit. I didn’t expect that.”

“Hm.” Linhardt stared at Claude for a moment before sighing, “I suppose she can do worse.”

“Thanks.” Claude rolled his eyes at Linhardt before turning towards Byleth as he bowed slightly, “Thank you for your generosity, Milady.”

“If that will be all, Linhardt, I would like you and Caspar to excuse yourselves.” Byleth said, “My council and I still have more to discuss.”

“Of course.” Linhardt yawned before he admitted, “I would like to lie down as well.”

Linhardt stood and bowed at Byleth as he drawled, “Once again, thank you for your mercy, Lady Byleth.”

Byleth simply nodded at him and Linhardt left while Caspar stuttered, “He-hey, I’m not done eat-”

Ashe and Ingrid shook their head and Byleth said fondly, “Take your plate with you, Caspar.”

“Really?” Caspar grinned as he stood, grabbing his plate, “Thanks, Miss!” 

“Hey, Linhardt, wait up!” Caspar shouted as he tried to catch up with Linhardt. Linhardt sighed but stopped just by the door. Once Caspar caught up to him, Linhardt opened the door and walked out of the room. Caspar followed afterwards and closed the door behind him.

Once the door was closed, Byleth faced Seteth as she asked, “So what do we think is Hresvelg’s next move?”

“Now, hold up.” Sylvain stopped Seteth from replying, “Are we just going to ignore this supposed illness that people with Seiros blood gets?”

“Yes, we are.” Byleth replied with a nod. She held Dimitri’s hand tightly as she said in a soft voice, “I know you are all worried for us but we must push this back for now. We have no time to worry about an illness we may or may not have at the moment. Taking control over all of Fodlan must take precedence.”

“But!” 

“Byleth is right.” Seteth cut off Sylvain, “The cure for the illness Linhardt has talked about is still in trial so, even if we find out that any of us have the illness, there is nothing we can do. We must focus on what is more pressing at the moment.”

“Also, the sooner this war ends, the sooner we will be able to focus on supporting Doctor Hanneman’s research.” Byleth added, earning a nod of approval from Seteth.

Sylvain turned to look at Dimitri. Dimitri stared at Sylvain as he nodded solemnly. Sylvain sighed and backed down, “Understood.”

“Thank you for your concern, Sylvain.” Flayn said with a soft smile which Sylvain tried to return.

He was sure it wasn’t a very convincing smile though.

Byleth began to eat as she asked, “So what do we know about Hresvelg’s next move?”

The sound of her cutlery seemed to make everyone return eating as Seteth informed everyone, “Our source in Hresvelg has informed us that a lot of their members are moving into Gronder district.”

“Not surprising. Gronder district would be the logical next district to be taken.” Claude commented before sipping his tea.

“Yes, however, it seems that they are not making any preparation for any of their remaining western districts.” Seteth explained, his eyes narrowing as he commented, “All well known high ranking members of Hresvelg seem to be converging right into Gronder district.”

“Gronder district is an industrial district.” Ingrid mused with a frown on her face, “Only some buildings have a skeleton crew during night time.”

“That’s the thing though.” Rodrigue commented, “Our source also said that Edelgard had issued an order that all buildings in Gronder district be empty tonight.”

“She wants us to fight the bulk of her family in Gronder district.” Sylvain realized.

“Like… a final battle?” Ashe asked with wide eyes.

“It’s possible.” Felix replied, “Gronder district would be a perfect urban battlefield. There are enough buildings to hide and set traps in. They also have the advantage of knowing the layout of the district more than us and being able to prepare in the district itself as it is still under their control.”

“The question is, do we accept Edelgard’s gauntlet?” Rodrigue asked.

“If we do not, the members in Gronder could easily take any of the districts under our control.” Seteth reminded them.

“We can set a defensive formation on Myrddin?” Annette suggested weakly, “I mean… we might lose the other two districts but, if we defend Myrddin, they won’t be able to take any districts under Leicester branch.”

“For tonight.” Rufus roughly added, “We might be able to stop them in Myrddin tonight but tomorrow? The day after? If we don’t push forward, we’ll just be put into a stalemate.”

“How about we keep a defensive form in Myrddin and take more districts in the east?” Mercedes suggested but she didn’t seem to be confident of her own suggestion.

“That is a possibility but with the bulk of Hresvelg’s men will be in Gronder, they could easily send reinforcement to any district we might target without compromising their hold on Gronder itself.” Ingrid countered.

“If we want to push forward, we have to take Gronder district.” Felix concluded seriously.

“But if we do target Gronder district, we’ll be fighting an uphill battle even with my men.” Claude chimed in a serious tone. Had the conversation not been grave, someone would have commented at Claude’s sudden seriousness.

Everyone fell silent after that, their breakfast forgotten.

Sothis sat on the corner of the table between Byleth and her dad, swinging her legs as she mused out loud, “If we accept Edelgard’s challenge and march to Gronder, there will be casualties on our side.”

Sothis turned her head to stare at Byleth as she said, “We have had no casualties before this because we had the element of surprise. This time, Edelgard would have that.”

“It would be a miracle if everyone makes it out alive.” Sothis commented darkly. 

Byleth’s grip on Dimitri’s hand tightened at those words. As if knowing what was plaguing her, Dimitri’s thumb caressed her knuckles lightly. Byleth turned to look at Dimitri and saw determination in his eye… as well as acceptance.

Byleth realized then and there that Dimitri would follow her orders, no matter what they may be and he was prepared to lose his own life if it means winning the war as soon as possible.

“Ugh.” Sothis groaned, covering her face with both of her hands, “Linhardt’s news of our possible terminal illness has definitely gotten him all fired up. God!”

Byleth turned to face Sothis and noticed that her dad was staring at her. 

Now that she thought about it, her dad hasn’t spoken the entire time. Dedue not speaking wasn’t a surprise, he would follow whatever Dimitri decided but her dad…

Her dad was staring at her with a blank expression on his face. 

He was waiting for her decision.

This was going to be her decision and, no matter what it was, everyone would follow it. 

Because she was the head of the family…

Because they believed in her…

Because they knew she would be able to pick the best choice given the circumstances…

But… can she?

Should she order them to march to Gronder? To march to their death because the possibility of winning still exists, no matter how low the chance may be?

Or should she order them to form a defensive formation in the districts they have right now and wait for a better opening?

Wait for Edelgard to die?

Sothis stared at her dad silently for a few minutes.

Then she suddenly said…

“What if… we don’t think of this as the head of the family?” Sothis asked, turning to face Byleth. Byleth turned to face Sothis as well and frowned at her. Sothis leaned in and said, “We’re thinking as the head of a family but that’s not all we are, right?”

Sothis’ lips curved into a smirk as she asked, “Do you remember who we were before? What we were before?”

What they were… Oh.

That’s right.

Byleth turned her eyes towards her dad and the same smirk on Sothis’ face appeared on her face.

Her dad raised an eyebrow at that smirk but said nothing.

“It will work.” Sothis whispered, resting her hand on Byleth’s shoulder as she whispered, “We can do this.”

“We will not move to Gronder tonight.” Byleth declared. Everyone turned to look at her, “We will set a defensive formation in Myrddin and Arundel districts. We will not engage any of their men unless they try to take the districts from us. Seiros-Faerghus will protect Arundel with the Leicester loyalists while Myrddin will be under the protection of the remaining Leicester forces and Claude’s Almyran men.” 

“Tonight, we will force Edelgard to a stalemate.” Byleth declared. Her lips curved into a smirk as she added, “And tonight, I will go see an opera in Enbarr.”

The room erupted in chaos at those words. Rufus, Seteth and Felix stood from their chair. Byleth could barely understand any of them as they were all talking over each other. 

What she can understand was the slight trembling of Dimitri’s hand as he held hers. 

“Enough.” Byleth ordered, forcing everyone to stop. She kept her voice calm and clear as she said, “I understand that this will be a risky endeavour but I will not change my mind about this.”

“But, Lady Byleth, Enbarr is right at the center of Hresvelg control.” Rodrigue tried to reason, “Your safety wi-”

"Dimitri will protect me." Byleth cut Rodrigue’s concern off before she turned to stare at Dimitri as she asked, "Right?" 

Dimitri's eye shone with determination and an almost disturbing shade of obsession as he replied, "I will kill any who would dare lay a finger." 

"Then it's decided." Byleth said, turning towards the rest of her council, "Dimitri shall accompany me to the opera. Dedue and Ingrid will be our bodyguards as usual. Felix and Sylvain will stay near us as backup while Ashe will take stay in a high vantage point together with Caspar as his spotter and support. Annette, could you please acquire two tickets right now?”

“Um… yes, of course.” Annette replied, her eyes glancing at everyone else as if waiting for someone to object.

"I would like Flayn and Mercedes to help me look presentable.” Byleth continued, not giving anyone a chance to say anything before turning towards Claude, “Claude, please get Lorenz to help Dimitri prepare for tonight."

She didn't fail to notice Claude's glee when Dimitri obviously frowned in displeasure at her words. She turned towards Seteth as she said, "Uncle, please contact our ally in Hresvelg to meet us there." 

"Will that be wise, Miss? If you make contact, he will be exposed." Rodrigue asked with a frown on his face.

"Yes." Byleth nodded and added, "If he is on our side, he will obey my orders as the head." 

"So this is to see if he can be trusted." Seteth realized thoughtfully. 

“I also have an order for him that I can only give in person.” Byleth explained, before adding, “And if he is exposed, we’ll take him back with us.”

Everyone was quiet after that. 

“And… you will not change your mind on this… risky… plan?” Seteth asked.

“No.” Byleth replied immediately.

“Edelgard will learn about this.” Rodrigue stated with a frown, “She might even come see you.”

Byleth’s lips curved into a smirk that was mirrored on Sothis’ face as her oldest friend wrapped her arms around her, “That is what I’m hoping for.”

“Tonight… I will meet with Edelgard.” 

With that declaration, the meeting came to a stop. Everyone started making preparation for tonight. Rodrigue and Claude went to Derdriu to inform the others of the plan. Claude came back soon enough with Lorenz. 

While Mercedes, Flayn and Annette seriously strategize on Byleth’s outfit for the opera, much to Sothis’ amusement (“you must look more powerful and beautiful than Edelgard!” “And look absolutely perfect with Dimitri!” “Maybe we should talk to Lorenz first then?”), Lorenz had taken one look (with a growing expression of horror in his face) on Dimitri’s current appearance and left, ordering them to stay in the room. 

Dimitri and Claude remained in the room, waiting for Lorenz to return with… whatever suit he decided would be best for Dimitri.

“Thank you.” Dimitri’s voice was almost inaudible but Claude heard it all the same. He just wasn’t sure if he heard it right. Dimitri didn’t look at him as he added, “For keeping her safe all these years.”

Claude stared at Dimitri silently for a few seconds before he commented, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice, “It should have been you.”

His voice was hard as he corrected, “It would have been you if you hadn’t gone rogue.” 

Dimitri remained quiet as Claude said, “You didn’t just leave her, you know. You left all of us.”

Dimitri closed his eye but kept quiet as Claude sighed, “Fuck, Dimitri. We needed you. We were fighting an uphill battle and you were one of our best and you-”

Claude stopped and took a deep breath. His voice was calm as he continued, “I won’t say I understand what you went through or why you did it and I won’t deny that I’m happy that you’re back with us but…” 

Claude turned to stare at Dimitri as he said, “Don’t do it again. Don’t… don’t leave us again.”

Dimitri opened his eye and nodded silently. Claude nodded back and they both remained quiet. The silence continued until Dimitri spoke in a tone that was almost light, “Technically. The next person to leave would be you, wouldn’t it?”

Claude raised an eyebrow at Dimitri’s words so he clarified, “You’d be returning to Almyra after this, correct?”

Claude’s lips curved into a grin. He patted Dimitri’s back before saying, “Well, I do need to make my lackeys understand that I’m the one in charge. You should have heard some of them last night. They make it sound like Nader was in charge! Nader!” 

Dimitri chuckled softly and Claude’s smile turned soft as he continued, “But don’t think I won’t come visit often. An alliance between our two organizations will only work if we keep an open and honest communication. Plus, it’s better to hash out all the details of our alliance in person. And…”

His smile turned into a mischievous grin as he added, “I am still heavily invested in your growing relationship with Milady. No way am I missing out on any of that.”

Dimitri’s cheeks reddened slightly and he hissed, “Claude!”

Claude laughed at Dimitri’s reaction and patted his back once more. The sound of Claude’s laughter seemed to have summoned Lorenz as he suddenly came back, sighing at Claude as if the very sound of his laughter causes him extreme pain, before he went to Dimitri with the clothes he would be wearing, “Change to this. I have brought someone to take care of your…” 

The two men were pretty sure Lorenz wanted to say something much more insulting than what he really said, “... hair.”

Dimitri took the clothes but stopped when he noticed who was behind Lorenz. 

“Shut up, boar.” Felix preemptively shut whatever Dimitri would be saying, crossing his arms and glaring at Dimitri. Dimitri, knowing it was better to not aggravate Felix, especially since he would be in charge of Dimitri’s hair, kept quiet and changed to the suit that Lorenz brought. It was a simple black tuxedo assemble complete with the cumberband and black cufflinks. Dimitri didn’t know how Lorenz got his shoe size but the patent leather oxfords he got him was the right size as well. The only actual uncommon part of the suit was the blue evening scarf that Lorenz put on Dimitri himself. The scarf was the same color as his eye, making the blue hue of his single good eye appear much more prominent. Once Lorenz gave his approval at Dimitri’s appearance, Felix made him sit on a chair before quickly and a bit painfully tying his hair into a half-ponytail with a simple black band. It didn’t really work as well as Lorenz hoped as Dimitri’s hair, while too long to be considered ‘neat’, wasn’t long enough to be fully tied back so most of the hair in the front just returned to frame his face. It added an asymmetry style to his hair as more hair framed his right side rather than his left. What they got was…

“Disaster.” Lorenz said disdainfully. 

“Hot.” Claude said at the same time with a shrug.

Lorenz glared at Claude and the other man simply grinned at him as he commented, “I’m sure Milady would like it.”

Lorenz rubbed the bridge of his nose as he said, “It doesn’t matter if Lady Byleth likes it. It is not pro-”

Lorenz’ sentence was cut off as Dimitri stood and started to walk out of the room. Lorenz called out, “Wait! Sir Dimitri!”

Dimitri didn’t bother to reply and left the room silently. Lorenz turned to look at the person who probably knew Dimitri most among the three of them. Felix had his arms crossed as he glared at Claude, “He said Miss would like it. That’s enough for the boar.”

Lorenz turned to glare at Claude. Claude raised his hands in surrender as he defended himself, “Hey, how was I supposed to know those were the magic words?”

Lorenz and Felix did not believe him one bit. Lorenz sighed and shook his head as he surrendered, “He’ll probably get away with it considering who he is.”

“Probably.” Claude agreed with a grin.

Felix glared at both of them for a few seconds before leaving without saying another word.

When Dimitri got to Byleth’s room, Byleth was already ready and, the moment Dimitri laid his eyes on her, nothing else seemed to matter. Byleth was wearing a sleeveless mermaid style evening gown. The upper body of the dress was heart shaped that clung onto her chest with a deep cut in the middle. The dress was mostly black that gradually change to blue by the end. It took a second for Dimitri to realize that the hue of the blue was the same hue as his evening scarf. She had wrapped a fur shawl over her arms, mostly white fur with black fur at the end of each side while her hands until her lower arms were covered by white gloves. Some of her hair was tied into a rose bun pinned by three golden hairsticks. Each hairsticks were decorated at the end by blue and white gems shaped as a Wisteria flower. Her remaining hair was looped around the rose bun before falling to her back. But the thing that truly got Dimitri’s attention was the single piece of jewelry she wore. On her neck, resting between her bosom was a silver chain necklace with a pendant shaped like…

It was the shape of the Blaiddyd symbol.

Dimitri could only stare at the necklace silently as he walked towards Byleth. He knelt in front of her and gently traced the pendant around her neck. Byleth smiled at him as she whispered, gently tracing the symbol on Dimitri’s eyepatch, “Just like you wear my symbol, I will wear yours.” 

Dimitri took her hand and kissed her knuckles before he whispered back, “Thank you.”

Byleth chuckled softly before leaning forward, catching Dimitri’s lips with hers.

They heard a few squeals from behind them but paid it no mind.

They had just exited the elevator to the parking lot when they came face to face with someone everyone had assumed died.

“Hey.” Shamir greeted with a nod.

“You’re alive?!” Sylvain exclaimed as he stared at Shamir. Ashe and Caspar could only gape at the sudden appearance of someone who had been missing for two years and everyone had assumed to be dead.

Shamir looked well, wearing her usual leather jacket and pants. On her right hand was her helmet while the other held a folder.

“Sorry I was out of touch.” Shamir said in her usual cool tone, offering the folder to Byleth, “Here’s my apology.”

Byleth took the folder and opened it. Behind her, Sothis’ eyes widened and her jaw slacked as Byleth flipped through the pages. Once she reached the end of the page, she raised her eyes to Shamir and asked, “How accurate is this?”

“Maybe 99%, 100% if I’ve not being humble.” Shamir replied.

Byleth closed the folder and placed it on her lap before she asked Shamir, “And where have you been this entire time? From the way you look, you look too good to have been fatally wounded two years ago.”

“I’ve been around, observing, recording.” Shamir replied vaguely.

“And you’re back now because?” Byleth asked with a tilt of her head.

“I’ve gotten what I needed to ensure I can stay.” Shamir answered vaguely but her eyes were trained to the folder on Byleth’s lap. Shamir was obviously betting on the information inside would grant her Byleth’s mercy.

Which she would be right to do if the information in it was correct.

Byleth hummed, patting the folder on her lap, before asking, “And you trust this information you got from an officer named Bartels?”

Mercedes’ breath hitched at the name and she stared at the folder on Byleth’s lap.

“Yes. He was undercover at almost the same time as Edelgard started to plan. His information has been confirmed by the higher ups.” Shamir replied with a nod before adding, “You guys might know him more as the ‘Death Knight’?”

“No way.” Caspar commented with wide eyes, “The Death Knight was an undercover cop?”

“He was.” Shamir replied with a nod before informing them, “He’s back in the force now though so you guys won’t see him here in Fodlan anymore.”

“I see.” Byleth nodded at Shamir as she said, “Thank you, Shamir. I can certainly use this. Please report to Seteth on the twentieth floor for your next orders.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Shamir bowed and walked towards the elevator.

Mercedes looked at Byleth and said, “Miss, may I accompany Shamir?”

Byleth wasn’t sure why Mercedes would want to but Mercedes looked so serious and hopeful that Byleth couldn’t say no so she nodded, “Go.”

“Thank you!” Mercedes quickly bowed at her before running to catch up to Shamir. 

“Excuse me!” Mercedes called out to Shamir and the older woman stopped to face her. Mercedes put both her hands on her chest as she asked, “This Officer Bartels… is his name… Emile?”

“Yes. His name is Emile.” Shamir confirmed.

“And he’s doing okay? He’s… okay?” Mercedes asked softly.

Shamir looked like she wasn’t sure about Mercedes’ question but tried to answer anyway, “He’s a fine officer. A bit too serious but his work is exemplary and there are rumors he’ll be taking the detective exam next year.”

“That-that’s great.” Mercedes sounded so relieved and a soft smile appeared on her face even as tears fell from her eyes. 

After they said their goodbyes to Flayn and Annette, they drove to Enbarr in a single black car. Dedue was driving while Ingrid was on the passenger’s side. Byleth sat on the back seat with Dimitri. Caspar rode with Ashe and Felix rode with Sylvain on their motorcycles with Sylvain’s motorcycle ahead of them while Ashe’s motorcycle was behind them.

As they pass Gaspard district, Byleth finally asked what has been in her mind for a while, “Do you think Linhardt is right?” 

Dimitri turned to look at Byleth but did not make any sound so she clarified, “That even if I was to grant her mercy, she will not take it?”

Dimitri looked down and remained quiet for a few moments. When he finally spoke, it wasn’t what Byleth expected to hear.

“Edelgard had ten siblings.” Dimitri informed her. 

“Had?” Sothis repeated with a slight tilt of her head.

“I am not sure about the actual details but, from what I heard, they were all half-siblings. Edelgard was mot-” Dimitri paused, his tone becoming a bit colder as he continued, “... She was Patricia von Arundel’s only child. Most of them were older than her and worked for the family but…”

“There was a Hresvelg only operation when I was around six years old.” Dimitri recalled, “All of her older siblings were part of the op for some reason and something happened. They were ambushed by two rival families, one from Brigid city and the other was from Dagda city. No one survived.”

“The high ranking members of Adrestia branch used that as an example to show that Edelgard’s father was not fit to lead the branch family and took most of his executive power away from him. Patricia divorced Edelgard’s father and took custody over her. She left Adrestia branch and came to live in Faerghus with my father’s permission. That’s how I met Edelgard.” Dimitri turned his head to stare at the window silently. 

Byleth understood what Dimitri wasn’t saying.

It was during that time that Patricia had seduced Dimitri’s father into marrying her.

“A year later, we heard that Edelgard’s remaining younger siblings, twin girls, died in a car accident.” Dimitri’s eye narrowed as he remembered, “Everyone suspected foul play but no one was able to prove anything. Since she was the only living child left, she had to return to Enbarr to be the official heir.”

“After that…” Dimitri paused for a second before continuing, “... the next time I saw her was actually two years ago, two weeks before I met you.” 

“The entire time this was happening, the main family…” Dimitri closed his eye and shook his head before opening his eye to correct himself, “Lady Rhea didn’t lift a finger. She didn’t do anything and let Adrestia branch take care of it itself.”

“She did the same when Father died as well. She let my uncle and I fight over the unnecessary retaliation against the people of Duscur.” Dimitri turned to look at Byleth and admitted, “In some ways, Edelgard and I are the same. Our loved ones were taken from us by members of the same family. We didn’t receive any aid from the main family. I suppose the only thing that differentiates us would be the fact that I fueled by hatred for the people who did take them away while she fueled her hate for the people who did nothing but watch.”

“If…” Dimitri looked down as he started, “If things had been different. If you had picked her and supported her cause, I would have been honor-bound to defend Seiros. If that happens, if you were allowed to grant me mercy…”

Dimitri closed his eye as he admitted, “I would fight to the bitter end. I wouldn’t accept any mercy. Even if it came from you.”

Byleth covered his hand with hers and rested her forehead against Dimitri’s own. Dimitri opened his eye as he continued, “I think she would do the same. For Edelgard… this is all she has left.”

Byleth was silent for a few seconds before she whispered, “I would always pick you.” 

Dimitri stared at Byleth with a wide eye and Byleth caressed his cheek as she whispered, “Picking you was the first choice I’ve ever made all by myself and, if I have to, if I was given the same choices again, I would always pick you.”

“It will always be you, Dimitri.” Byleth admitted.

“Byleth…” Dimitri whispered before he leaned forward, capturing Byleth’s lips with his softly. Byleth placed her hands on Dimitri’s shoulders as she felt Dimitri’s hands on her waist, tilting her head slightly as they deepened their kiss.

Then someone loudly cleared their throat.

Dimitri and Byleth quickly pulled away and looked at the car door next to Dimitri. It was open and Sylvain was leaning against the open door, a huge satisfying grin on his face. Behind him, Felix was staring at them with a look of resigned disgust while holding the handles of Byleth’s wheelchair. They heard Ingrid giggle and turned their heads to stare at the two. Dedue had a small smile on his face while Ingrid was covering her mouth with her hand. 

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but we’re here.” Sylvain said cheerfully.

Dimitri sighed with red cheeks as he mumbled, “Yes, we can see that, Sylvain.”

Sylvain backed away from the car door and let Dimitri get out. Byleth scooted towards the edge of the car seat and let Dimitri carry her out, gently placing her in her wheelchair. Felix stepped away so Dimitri could hold both of the handles and Sylvain leaned towards Dimitri, whispering soft enough that only Dimitri and Byleth could hear him, “We’ll just be a block away. Ashe’s already in position.”

Sylvain winked at Dimitri as he added, “Have fun and don’t do things I wouldn’t do.”

“That’s a very short list.” Felix deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. 

Byleth chuckled and watched as Sylvain and Felix drove away while Dedue gave the keys to the car to the valet. Once Dedue and Ingrid were on either side of Dimitri, Dimitri wheeled her inside the opera. 

The opera house in Enbarr was a large building with a huge staircase that leads to the second floor, decorated in hues of red and gold. The lobby looked more like one would see in a castle instead of a theatre. In the middle of the lobby, a young man with long red hair tied to a low ponytail and wearing an impeccable tux bowed as he greeted them, “Welcome, Lady Byleth, to Enbarr’s glorious opera house.”

“Thank you for meeting us here, Mister Aegir.” Byleth said with a nod.

“Please, Lady Byleth, call me Ferdinand.” Ferdinand asked with a smile as he straightened his back. He smiled at Dimitri as he greeted, “Dimitri, it is good to see you again.”

“Ferdinand.” Dimitri curtly greeted back, nodding at him. 

It didn’t seem to bother Ferdinand as he turned his attention back to Byleth and he politely said, “Please, allow me to lead you to your box seat.”

“Please lead the way.” Byleth said with a nod. 

Ferdinand smiled and walked towards the stairs. He stopped and turned to look at Byleth to say something but stopped when he saw that Dimitri was carrying Byleth in his arms. 

“We shall wait here, Miss. Sir Dimitri.” Ingrid said while Dedue grabbed the wheelchair’s handles.

“Thank you, Ingrid, Dedue.” Byleth said and Dimitri narrowed his eye at Ferdinand.

Understanding it was a warning to not say anything and to lead them to their box seat, Ferdinand nodded at Dimitri before walking ahead. Dimitri followed him with Byleth in his arms. One of Byleth’s hands were on her lap while her other hand was gently wrapped around Dimitri’s shoulder. As Ferdinand led them to their box seat, he cheerfully said, “I do hope you enjoy tonight’s performance, Lady Byleth. Tonight’s performance is Mittelfrank opera company’s most famous performance of “The Blessed One and The Red Emperor”. 

“I know the book. I used to read it frequently when I was a child.” Byleth noted, making Ferdinand’s smile grow.

“You do? That’s wonderful!” Ferdinand exclaimed, “I am sure you will love this performance then. Dorothea is simply wonderful as the Blessed One.”

“I look forward to it.” Byleth nodded at Ferdinand, a slight smile on her face that was brought out by Ferdinand’s happy mood.

“Ah, here we are.” Ferdinand stepped to the side so Dimitri could enter the box seat. The box seats was directly in front of the stage so it had a clear view of the stage itself. Dimitri walked towards the four chairs in front and gently lowered Byleth on the second to the left. He knelt in front of Byleth as Byleth adjusted her position so she was more comfortable. 

She caressed Dimitri’s hand as she whispered, “Thank you.”

Dimitri took her hand and kissed it before letting go. He stood and walked towards the seat to the left of Byleth. Ferdinand remained standing behind them, his hands on his back as he waited for Byleth to acknowledge him.

He didn’t have to wait long as Byleth asked, “So, tell me, Ferdinand. Why did you betray Edelgard?”

Ferdinand was quiet for a few moments before he admitted, “Edelgard ordered the execution of my father during the start of her rule.”

Byleth kept her eyes trained to the red curtains as she asked, “So this is for revenge?”

“No.” Ferdinand replied immediately, lips curving into a mirthless smile, “My father was a disgrace and the world is better off without him. He was part of the high ranking members who took away power from the Hresvelgs. Edelgard ordering his execution with the rest was no surprise to any of us.”

“So why betray her?” Byleth asked once more, “It seems like she did you a favor.”

“I do not approve of how she started this war.” Ferdinand confessed, “The war itself, I can be persuaded to agree to its necessity, but to bomb Garreg Mach is a cowardice act. I understand that, had it wiped out all of the main family, she would have had an easy time taking over but, still… I cannot condone such vile act.”

“So you became a traitor instead?” Byleth asked, resting her elbow on the chair’s armrest as she asked, “Isn’t that a bit hypocritical of you?”

“Yes, it is.” Ferdinand agreed but smiled as he added, “But now, you know who I am, do you not?”

Byleth finally turned to look at Ferdinand and he continued, “And I would hope that you would remember how I, Ferdinand von Aegir, helped once this is all over and it is time to decide the fate of Adrestia branch.”

“I see…” Byleth hummed and said, “I will think about it.”

Byleth looked back to the stage as she said, “Dedue has a folder he will give you. The folder has information of those in Hresvelg who are not happy with Edelgard’s rule.”

Byleth mused out loud, “I think the next leader of Adrestia branch should be one that can band them together and have them ready for my next order by tonight, wouldn’t you say?”

Ferdinand’s face glowed and he enthusiastically replied, “Absolutely! I, Ferdinand von Aegir, will show you, Lady Byleth, that I am worthy of such a task!”

“Then you better get going.” Byleth turned slightly to stare at Ferdinand, “Do not let me down, Ferdinand von Aegir.”

“Yes, Lady Byleth!” Ferdinand quickly bowed before walking briskly out of the box seats. Had it not been improper, she was sure he would be running now.

Byleth sighed and relaxed on her chair. Feeling Dimitri’s hand gently grasped hers, Byleth asked, “Was it convincing?”

“Very.” Dimitri replied with a nod before adding, “There were times you sounded a bit like Lady Rhea.”

“I was trying to copy her.” Byleth confessed with a sheepish smile.

Dimitri chuckled as he replied, “I think the way you acted right then was perfect. You acted like the proper head of the family without being too similar to Lady Rhea.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Byleth asked, “I mean, I barely know how to lead the family but at least I can pretend well enough.”

“That’s fine.” Dimitri said, turning to smile at Byleth, “We can learn together.”

“Leading the family?” Byleh asked, grinning as she teased, “Why, Mister Blaiddyd, If I didn’t know better, I would think that you were proposing to me.”

Dimitri blushed but he replied lightly, “I think it would be too early for me to propose to you, Miss. Maybe after a year.”

Byleth froze at those words, her mouth open. Then she saw Dimitri’s boyish smile and she chuckled, “Oh god. You’re joking! Oh! You sounded so serious I didn’t get it right away.”

Dimitri chuckled as well and Byleth leaned towards Dimitri, their shoulders pressed against each other. Dimitri whispered softly, “But I was serious. Just as you need time to learn how to be the head of the family, I also need time to find how I wish to live my life. If you’ll be by my side as I search for my answer then I will be by your side as you learn your place in this world.”

Byleth’s lips curved into a small soft smile as she stared at Dimitri’s face, “I would like that.”

Dimitri intertwined their fingers together as he whispered, “We’ll move forward together, hand-in-hand.”

They slowly leaned closer, their lips just inches away.

When the show started.

They paused, looking at each other before chuckling. Byleth whispered, “Later?”

“Later.” Dimitri agreed and they leaned back in their chairs and watched the play. 

Byleth remembered the story from her childhood. The Blessed One was on a journey and saved three travelers on her way to the monastery of the Priestess of Light. The three travelers were also on their way to the monastery so they decided to travel together. The Blessed One learned that the three travelers were the Red Emperor, the Blue King and the Green Tactician. When they reached the monastery, all three of them invited the Blessed One to stay in their respective country for a while after her meeting with the Priestess of Light. The Blessed One chose to accept the Red Emperor’s offer and they went back to her empire after the Blessed One visited the Priestess of Light. The Blessed One and the Red Emperor grew close and the Red Emperor confessed that she was planning a revolution against the Priestess of Light who, according to her, had been hiding the truth of the world and using her authority to keep their land under her rule. The Blessed One believed in her vision of a free future and together they wage war against the Priestess of Light. Bound by his honor, the Blue King took up arms to protect the Priestess of Light against the army of the Red Emperor and the Blessed One. 

It was during the scene where the Red Emperor finally decided to confess about her plans to the Blessed One that Byleth heard a voice, “May I sit here?”

Dimitri was as still as a statue on her other side but Byleth calmly said, “Of course. The seat is for you, Edelgard.”

“Thank you, Lady Byleth.” Edelgard politely said before sitting in the chair next to Byleth. Hubert remained standing behind Edelgard.

“I was quite surprised to hear that you were here in Enbarr, watching an opera.” Edelgard admitted, keeping her eyes on the stage where the Red Emperor took the Blessed One’s hands as she explained the Priestess of Light’s treachery.

Byleth glanced at Edelgard. The younger woman was wearing a red business suit with a white shirt underneath. Her hair was tied into twin buns on either side of her head. She looked elegant and fierce, befitting of the woman who threw Fodlan into war. 

“I’ve never been to one and I remembered you once told me about it.” Byleth replied, watching as the Blessed One backed away from the Red Emperor, refusing to believe what she was saying.

“I see.” Edelgard stared at her for a moment before she said, “Since you knew I would come once I heard you were here, may I ask what your plan is now?”

“I want to know, Edelgard.” Byleth finally turned to face Edelgard as she asked, “Why did you do it? Why betray the family? Why must the Serios family die?”

“Information.” Edelgard mused, a wistful smile on her face as she remembered, “So, even now, you still gather as much intel as possible before making your next move.”

Edelgard closed her eyes as she said, “Very well, I shall indulge you once more.”

“The Seiros family is corrupt.” Edelgard stated as she opened her eyes and Byleth could hear that she truly believe what she was saying in her voice, “They stay at the top and lord over us. We are the ones to slave away, to spend the rest of our life keeping them at the top. What do we get as a reward? What do we get as compensation for all of our hard work? We work for them, we die for them and they live in their grand castle.”

“And how do you plan to change that?” Byleth asked as the Red Emperor kneeled as she sang, “Say you do win? Say you do kill me and the rest of my family, what then?”

“I will create a family that rewards achievements above all else.” Edelgard replied immediately as the Blessed One came on stage singing, changing it to a duet, “You rise up because of your achievement and leadership shall be given to the most qualified person.”

“And who chooses who will become the leader after we are dead? You?” Byleth asked as the Blessed One stood in front of the Red Emperor. 

“For my successor, yes.” Edelgard replied, “And my successor will choose their heir and so on.”

“I think…” Byleth stared at the stage, watching as the Blessed One offer her hand to the Red Emperor, “There is merit to your vision of the family. The head of this family should be the most qualified one, regardless of their bloodline or past and those who provide results should be acknowledged and rewarded.”

“I knew you would understand me.” A small smile appeared on Edelgard’s face.

Byleth watched as the Red Emperor took the blessed one’s hand as she continued, “But…”

Byleth turned to face Edelgard as she declared, “I’m afraid we can’t do what you wish anymore, Edelgard.”

“Why?!” Edelgard growled, momentarily losing her composure. She saw Dimitri twitch next to Byleth and quickly composed herself. She took a deep breath before asking, “May I ask why?”

“Because of you.” Byleth replied, returning her attention to the stage as the Red Emperor and the Blessed One sing a new duet as they prepare to fight the Blue King, their army singing in the chorus, “Because of this war you started.”

The Blue King appeared on stage, cutting their duet and singing his own solo, as Byleth explained, “Had you told me of your vision, had you just talked to me and Dimitri…”

The Blue King aimed his lance against the Red Emperor as his solo ends, his own army singing at the end, “We could have made your vision a reality once I became the head.”

“It would have been too late by then. Rhea would have never stepped down until she had no choice.” Edelgard stated bitterly as the Red Emperor raised her axe.

“For who? For everyone?” Byleth turned to face Edelgard as she asked while the Red Emperor and the Blue King lowered their weapons and their army charged, “Or for you?”

The armies of both the Blue king and the Red Emperor clash on stage as Edelgard stared at Byleth with wide eyes, “It’s the same illness Lysithea has, right? A terminal illness with no cure but a trial drug that isn’t even close to human testing yet…”

“How did you know?” Edelgard asked, making Byleth turn her attention back at the battle between the two armies as if dismissing Edelgard entirely.

“We have our ways.” Byleth replied vaguely as she watched the Red Emperor and the Blue King clash blades in the middle of the stage while the Blessed One slew waves upon waves of blue knights by the edge of the stage, slowly making way towards the Red Emperor. 

“You started this war because you had no time.” Byleth mused without any humor in her tone, “You decided you had no choice because you didn’t try trusting someone not in your innermost circle. Not me, not even someone you were close to in the past.”

Edelgard glanced at Dimitri but his attention was completely on the stage where the Blessed One has joined the fight, supporting the Red Emperor against the Blue King, but returned her attention back to Byleth as she continued, “In the end, we’re in this situation because you decided you couldn’t take the risk of trying to trust anyone else.” 

“So where does that leave us?” Edelgard asked, turning her attention to the stage in time to see the Blue King lose. 

“This war has already taken too many lives, destroyed too many lives. Our family is not a forgiving one.” Byleth explained as the Blue King sings a song of lament and anguish as he goes on his knees.

Byleth turned back towards Edelgard as she tucked her hair behind her ear, “They want blood. They want retribution for the past two years of pain and death.”

As the Blue King’s song reaches its highest note, Byleth’s hand moved too fast for anyone to react. A second later, Edelgard fell from her seat.

“Lady E-” Hubert’s shout was cut off quickly as Dimitri lunged at him, acting on instinct, one hand gripping his mouth tightly as another gripped his neck.

The Red Emperor raised her axe above her head while the Blue King held his note and Hubert trashed against Dimitri’s grip.

The Blue King’s note ended abruptly and he fell as the Red Emperor’s axe dropped at the same time Byleth heard Hubert’s neck break.

Byleth glanced at Edelgard on the floor, blood spilling from the head wound on her head, covered by the Wisteria’s white and blue petals of Byleth’s hairstick. Byleth took off the other Wisteria hairsticks on her hair, letting her hair fall down. Dimitri dropped Hubert’s body and walked towards Edelgard’s corpse. Dimitri leaned to take the hairstick impaled on the side of Edelgard’s head but Byleth gently took his hand.

“Leave it.” Byleth said and Dimitri turned to look at her, “Let that be my gift to her.”

“If that is your wish.” Dimitri replied and Byleth dropped her hand to her lap as Dimitri closed Edelgard’s eyes instead and whispered gently, “Goodbye, El.” 

Byleth kept quiet, letting Dimitri have time to grieve for his step-sister. She watched as the Red Emperor and the Blessed One fight the true villain, the villain who had used the Blue King's honor to protect herself, the Priestess of Light. When she saw Dimitri stand, she said, "I'll like to go now, Dimitri. I'm no longer interested in this play." 

"Of course, Miss." Dimitri nodded and gently carried her into his arms. Dimitri walked out of the box seat and made his way back to the first floor of the opera. 

“Did you know that the story that this opera was based on had four different books with each having a unique story?” Byleth asked nonchalantly as Dimitri walked towards the hallway leading to the stairs. 

“No, Miss.” Dimitri replied curiously.

“I remembered the book it was based on.” Byleth explained, watching Sothis as she walked next to them, “Dad heard there were three more books about it so he tried to search for the other three books but they were no longer in circulation. Only that one, ‘The Blessed One and The Red Emperor’ was kept in circulation. I don’t really know why the other three were dropped.”

They reached the stairs and, Dedue and Ingrid, who had been waiting by the stairs quickly walked towards them. Dimitri waited until Byleth had wrapped her arms around his neck before he walked down the stairs, nodding at Dedue while Ingrid followed them from behind, listening to Byleth as she continued, “Dad only managed to find me one other book but I loved that one more. That was the one I read over and over again.”

The one Sothis and her would play act in their lonely house.

“Is that so?” Dimitri commented and the employee by the door bowed as he opened the door for them. Behind them, Dedue sent a message to Ferdinand, Claude and Rufus.

_ ‘She’s dead. Start cleaning.’ _

“It was ‘The Blessed One and the Blue King’.” Byleth recalled, making Dimitri blink. 

“The Blue King? The fool who protected the villain?” Dimitri asked in a surprised tone.

Byleth nodded as they reached the car and Ingrid opened the car door for them. Dimitri placed Byleth inside but he couldn’t move because Byleth kept his arms around Dimitri’s neck as she continued like nothing was wrong, “In the book, the Blessed One chose him instead of the Red Emperor. Without the Blessed One as a guide, the Red Emperor was twisted by another villain who was fighting the Priestess of Light in the other book.”

Ingrid got in the passenger’s seat and looked at the back seat, seeing Dimitri’s current predicament. She covered her mouth to hide her smile. Dimitri saw Sylvain on the other side of the window, doing hand movements Dimitri didn’t get. Byleth ignored Sylvain’s hand movements, although Sothis watched with amusement, as she continued, “Twisted by the whispers of the other villain, the Red Emperor started to conquer the other kingdoms to unify the land leading to a bloody war. The Blessed One tried to stop the Red Emperor but was killed.”

Dimitri was momentarily surprised by that twist and he turned to look at Byleth as she continued, “Without the guidance of the Blessed One, the Blue King was defeated as well but escaped from the execution by the sacrifice of his knights.”

Dimitri saw movements on the window and turned his attention back to it, his one good eye widening when he saw that Sylvain had managed to drag Felix with him. Sylvain stared at Dimitri as he picked an annoyed crossed armed Felix who was glaring at Dimitri and carried him in his arms just like Dimitri had done to Byleth. Even Byleth has stopped pretending she wasn’t watching and stared at the two with a raised eyebrow while Sothis laughed hysterically beside her. Sylvain continued to carry Felix as he squatted as if he was sitting with Felix on his lap. Felix continued to cross his arms and glare at Dimitri and, if looks could kill, Dimitri would have already died a thousand times. Sylvain looked at Dimitri for a second then nod his head towards Byleth before nodding his head to Dimitri.

Dimitri just stared at them.

Dedue had finished putting away the wheelchair (which Dimitri had actually forgot about) and had entered the car through the driver’s side. He turned to look at Ingrid and raised an eyebrow. Ingrid just shook her head with a smile and Dedue accepted that as an answer.

Byleth chuckled and shook her head. Felix turned his glare towards Byleth while Sylvain continued to do the same head movements to Dimitri. Byleth sighed and leaned towards Dimitri, whispering right on his ear, “He’s saying I want to sit on your lap.”

“Oh.” Dimitri uttered then fell silent for a few seconds before he realized as his cheeks reddened, “Oh!”

Dimitri turned to face Byleth and asked, “D-do you wish… I mean…”

Sothis sighed fondly as she shook her head while Byleth teased lightly as she raised an eyebrow at Dimitri, “There is a reason why I’m not letting go.”

“Oh.” Dimitri’s ears reddened but he couldn’t help but smile as he placed his hands on Byleth’s back and under her knees once more. He carried her so he could sit properly and gently laid her across his lap. Sylvain dropped Felix as he cheered. Felix got up and Sylvain ran to his motorcycle to escape while Felix charged after him. Dedue turned on the engine while Dimitri reached out to close the door to the back seat.

They drove away, not bothering to wait for Sylvain and Felix, and Ashe’s motorcycle joined them when they turned left in the second intersection with Caspar cheerfully waving from behind Ashe. 

They rode in silence and Dimitri wrapped his arms around Byleth. Byleth rested her head on Dimitri’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Sothis was already asleep on Dimitri’s other side, her head resting on Dimitri’s arm.

She almost didn’t hear Dimitri ask, “What happened in the book?”

“Hm?” She hummed her question.

“In the book about the Blue King. What happened after the Blue King escaped?”

“Oh.” She quietly summarized what she could remember, “The Blue King went mad with grief and regret. When the Blessed One returned from the dead, the Blue King had become a monster, slaughtering everything in sight. The Blessed One met up with the Blue King’s surviving knights and followed the monster, protected it and loved it. It took so much time but, because of the Blessed One’s love and the unwavering loyalty of the Blue King’s knights, the monster remembered being the Blue King. Together they took back the Blue King’s kingdom and he raised his army to defeat the Red Emperor.”

She sighed as she felt Dimitri tightened his embrace and he rested his cheek on the top of her head before continuing, “But the Blue King felt guilty over the monster’s actions and promised to spend the rest of his days making the land a better place as his redemption. The Blessed One promised to stay with him and guide him for the rest of their days as well. When they finally defeated the Red Emperor, the Blue King offered his hand to his defeated foe as he believes everyone deserves a second chance like him. The Red Emperor refused and took her own life. The Blue King weeped for the dead Red Emperor but, still, he carried on. He protected and cared for the land he now rules with the Blessed One by his side.”

She opened her eyes, watching the city of Fodlan go by as the car moved, whispering, “I thought it was a beautiful story. A story of revenge and lost, of second chances and redemption… As a child, I loved the Blue King and his too big-heart. I cried as his heart broke and all that was left was the monster he believed he was. I cheered when the Blessed One came back and protected the monster, believing in who the Blue King was inside.”

“It’s a beautiful story of redemption and second chances.” She raised her head and stared at Dimitri. She placed her hand on Dimitri’s cheek and whispered with a wistful smile, “It’s a shame the opera did not have the same story.”

Dimitri closed his eye and leaned his cheek on her touch. She rested her head on Dimitri’s shoulder once more as she continued, “I suppose the story was just too different to have that kind of ending.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful Cardy created a beautiful art of the [reunion scene](https://twitter.com/CardyDesu/status/1179157852423737344). Please click the link and shower her with love!
> 
> “Why isn’t Gustave in Byleth’s Council?”  
In the game, Gustave returned to being a knight of Faerghus and is more or less the army’s military commander (with Byleth as the strategist). In this AU, Gustave remained as a front liner (aka knight) and never returned to Faerghus on his own free will, instead, being absorbed due to the merging of Seiros and Faerghus. His part in the council also have been transferred to Rodrigue and Rufus, both members who know Faerghus more than him, while Seteth would know more about Seiros than him. 
> 
> Claude’s Platinums  
XCOM2 is one of the hardest SRPG games to get a platinum in so he is obviously bragging ( I haven’t gotten it and I have no plans to because my masochism has limits). Valkyria Chronicles 4 is pretty okay to get the platinum though in my experience and, if you guys like SRPG, you guys might like Valkyria Chronicles series (Just… don’t get Revolution. That one isn’t an SRPG) 
> 
> If anyone is wondering, the title of the books that the opera was based on were:  
The Blessed One and The Red Emperor (adapted to an opera, still in publication)  
The Blessed One and The Blue King (no longer in publication, later ‘adapted’ to an opera)  
The Blessed One and The Green Tactician (no longer in publication)  
The Blessed One and The White Priestess (no longer in publication)


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, it’s not a Fire Emblem (AU) if there’s no epilogue scrawl, right?

It took Dimitri three long years to recover from all that has happened ever since that fateful day he lost his father and closest friends. Three long years talking to a psychiatrist that Annette had been able to clear and trying to face the ghost of his past…

Even now, Dimitri still believed he would never be fully healed and he will always hear the whispers of the dead. Some days, he still hears their voices. Sometimes, if he stays silent, he could hear their hateful words and that was okay. The past three years weren’t enough to heal him completely but it was enough to make things easier, make the bad days rare and far in between. 

And during the bad days, the kindness and love of his family and friends keep him afloat. Even during the worst days, the days where even the voice of his family and friends could not reach him, her warm hand was able to reach him, those soft small hands kept him anchored to reality. She was the final light that guides him from the darkness, his very own lighthouse in the pitch black suffocating ocean. 

And now, here they were once more, standing under the gazebo where they first danced as the petals of Wisteria falls down on them like beautiful soft rain. Even during the day, the garden was still beautiful but nothing was as beautiful as his beloved, dressed in a white gown with a mermaid-style skirt and long-sleeves made of knit lace. Her white corset was pulled together by blue ribbons on her back and had overlapping blue eyelash lace at the end of the corset. Her hair had a braided bun at the top while the rest of her hair flowed behind her, a single braid keeping the rest neatly in place. A golden hair ornament designed with blue Wisteria flowers were clipped on each side of her face, just above her ears. These clips kept the blue see-through veil she wore in place. The veil ended by her waist on the front and continued until an inch above her ankle on the back. 

“I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss.”

Dimitri gently lifted the veil, careful not to disturb the Wisteria hair clips on each side of her face. Her beloved’s beautiful soft smile greeted him and the very sight of it made tears of joy fall from his eye.

His eye was solely directed at his beloved and he did not see many of the members present today openly crying. He can, however, hear Alois sobbing loudly.

He took both her hands and leaned forward. She tilted her head to the side slightly and their lips met. Their kiss was soft and tender, so full of kindness and undeniable love that Dimitri feared that this was a dream yet her warm hands, the very same hands that has anchored him every time he felt like he was falling back into the darkness, these hands were real.

This was real.

Their friends and family cheered all around them as they slowly parted. Dimitri rested his forehead against hers and whispered, “Thank you for saving me countless times.”

His beloved laughed softly and raised her left hand and placed it gently on his cheek. He unconsciously leaned to the warmth of her hand as she whispered back, “I will always be here for you.”

She stepped towards him and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled at Dimitri softly, “I love you, Dima.”

Dimitri’s heart soared at those words and he couldn’t help but close his eye, leaning to capture her lips once more as he whispered back with all of his being, “And I love you, my beloved. Now and forevermore.”

  
  
  


* * *

In the year 20XX, at the end of August, Edelgard von Hresvelg was killed in the famous opera house in Enbarr together with her closest confidant, Hubert von Vestra. Officials suspected the deed was executed by Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd of Seiros-Faerghus family, under the order of Seiros-Faerghus’ head and his rumored lover Byleth Seiros. However, no evidence could be found to indict any member of the rival family as all security cameras that day had strangely but unsurprisingly malfunctioned and all staff members claim they did not see anything suspicious. With the death of their head and many of their high ranking members, the Hresvelg family surrendered to the Seiros-Faerghus family. Byleth Seiros granted them mercy and gave them permission to return to the family under the new branch name Aegir branch to commemorate the branch’s new head, Ferdinand von Aegir. 

To award Faerghus branch’s loyalty, Byleth Seiros renamed the main family as Faerghus family and Fhirdiad’s headquarters became the main family’s new main location. Three years later, she married Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd and ruled alongside him as co-heads of the family, taking his family name. Under their rule, the Faerghus family prospered with minimal internal conflicts. They later stepped down and was replaced by their firstborn son, Lambert Jeralt Blaiddyd. Surveillance on the married couple in their home in Fhirdiad after they stepped down could not be used as all records only showed them as a couple in love that frequently danced at night. 

Faerghus family allied themselves with the Shadow King of Almyra, now known as Claude von Riegan, once the head of the Leicester branch. Under their alliance, shipment of illegal products between Fodlan and Almyra increased with tight security that officials could not crack. Almyra also provided support in the removal of the gangs in Sreng which led to Faerghus’ rule to extend to Sreng. Faerghus later reciprocated the support by providing aid in Claude von Riegan’s expansion to the nearby city of Morfis. Their alliance was later solidified further with the marriage of Claude von Riegan’s firstborn son and heir to Byleth Blaiddyd and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd’s first daughter. Reports confirmed that Claude von Riegan frequently visits Fhirdiad for various reasons, most of which are rumored to be social calls, and it is known that he remained as a close friend of Byleth Blaiddyd and her husband, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, until his passing. 

Under Byleth Seiros (later known as Byleth Blaiddyd), Faerghus family became much more secure, making surveillance and evidence gathering almost impossible. Information of known members below is a summary of the information that could be confirmed.

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd’s innermost circle remained active members of the family. Felix Hugo Fraldarius and Ashe Ubert have been confirmed as the family’s most trusted front liners. Ashe Ubert’s younger brother later took over Gaspard district while Felix Hugo Fraldarius gave Fraldarius district to Sylvain Jose Gautier after Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius retired. Sylvain Jose Gautier later increased the revenue the family received for both Fraldarius district and the red light district after succeeding his father. Ingrid Brandl Galatea remained as Byleth Blaiddyd’s bodyguard and never married, being noted as the favorite aunt of Byleth Blaiddyd and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd’s children. Mercedes von Martritz later spearheaded the development of the abandoned Kleiman district and started various programs to support and aid the surviving Duscur natives with the support of Dedue Molinaro who had remained as Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd’s bodyguard. Annette Fantine Dominic took management of more condominium buildings in Fodlan and brought major profit to the family. Illegal shipments of various items for the family’s use are rumored to be her work as well but no actual evidence could be found. 

The remaining members of the Seiros Family, Seteth Seiros and Flayn Seiros supported Byleth Blaiddyd’s rule but later disappeared after she and her husband, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, stepped down. 

With Claude von Riegan returning to Almyra as the Shadow King, leadership of the Leicester branch fell under Lorenz Hellman Gloucester and Holtz Eostre Goneril. Ignatz Victor became a prominent member of the family, bringing profit from his black market dealings of art pieces. It is rumored that the basement of his home is filled with the famous missing paintings like Rembrandt van Rijn’s ‘The Storm on the Sea of Galilee’ and unknown mythical paintings like an unknown painter’s ‘The Savior King and His Beloved’. Leonie Pinelli, who had defected to Faerghus during the war, remained as Jeralt Reus Eisner’s second-in-command together with Alois Rangeld. She and Alois Rangeld later succeeded Jeralt Eisner after his retirement, following his daughter and son-in-law stepping down. Leonie Pinelli could be found most commonly in one of the bars in Fodlan during her free time. Marianne von Edmund remained an active member of the family and managed a homeless center in Edmund district. Similar to the reports on Mercedes von Martirz’ orphanage, many regulars of her homeless center later became loyal members of the family. Hilda Valentine Goneril, sister of Holtz Eostre Goneril, later moved to Almyra with Lysithea von Ordelia to join Claude von Riegan. Appearance of well done fake fashion products in Almyra and later in Fodlan could have been an op of Hilda Valentine Goneril but this could not be confirmed. Lysithea von Ordelia was admitted to a test trial for her terminal illness supervised by Doctor Hanneman von Essar, a known supporter of the family. She was cured of her terminal illness but was left severely weakened by the ordeal. Lysithea von Ordelia never returned to Fodlan and died of old age, surrounded by friends and family in Almyra. Raphael Kirsten also moved to Almyra with his younger sister and grandfather and became Claude von Riegan’s bodyguard. 

Aegir branch took a long time to recover from the effects of the two year war. Ferdinand von Aegir ushered many reforms and programs that smoothened their relationship with the Faerghus family and brought better profit for all the districts under Aegir branch. Dorothea Arnault’s career skyrocketed and the Mittelfrank opera company did a three year world tour. Upon her return, Dorothea Arnault and her senior and close friend Manuela Casagranda created and produced an original opera based on a retelling of their previous well known opera production ‘The Blessed One and The Red Emperor’. The new opera production was based on a Fodlan legend and was titled “The Savior King of the Azure Moon”. Analysis concluded that many of its elements seemed to be based on both the no longer published book ‘The Blessed One and The Blue King’ and what may be actual events from the two year war. Bernadetta von Varley took over Varely district after the execution of her father under Ferdinand von Aegir’s orders with the blessing of Byleth Blaiddyd. She remained secluded in her home while taking care of the district remotely. Petra Macneary, a longtime hostage of the Adrestia branch, was returned to the Macneary family of Brigid City. Her return under the orders of the Byleth Blaiddyd led to a more civilized relationship between the Macneary family and the Faerghus family. Linhardt von Hevring never returned to the Aegir branch. Surveillance confirmed he had moved to Edmund district and frequently visited Marianne von Edmund. He was also confirmed to have visited Doctor Hanneman von Essar frequently during the human trials which included fellow family member Lysithea von Ordelia. It is not known if he is still an active member or not. Caspar von Bergliez officially transferred to Faerghus family and became partners with well known Blaiddyd loyalist Ashe Ubert. Various reports were compiled of an unknown person of high importance to both men which they only call the Countess. It was later revealed to be a stray cat they adopted together. The full name of the cat is Countess Lorelai von Bergliez-Ubert of the High Court of Whiskerdom, First of her Name, Devourer of Canned Tunas and Ruler of the Kitchen Drawers. It is, up to this date, the most unnecessary and useless information to ever be given priority by the officials. 

Notable members of the previous Seiros main family continued as active members of Faerghus family. Gustave Eddie Dominic remained as part of the security details of the main family. Gustave Eddie Dominic later retired from his position and spent the remainder of his life tutoring Byleth Blaiddyd and Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd’s chilren. He and his wife reconciled during Byleth Blaiddyd’s rule. Jeralt Reus Eisner retired when his daughter and son-in-law stepped down. He spent his remaining days in his childhood home, near his daughter and son-in-law. An orphan named Cyril also rose the ranks during the later years of Byleth Blaiddyd’s rule as a front-liner. He is usually seen with Ashe Ubert’s team or helping out in Mercedes von Martritz’s orphanage. The Rhea loyalist only known by the name Catherine remained an active front liner of the Faerghus family under the Blaiddyds. Officials have concluded she is the main reason Officer Shamir Nevrand has gone native. 

(Excerpt from Report 00XXX, Officer T. Solon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t include the usual “PARALOGUE: (insert title here)” for this one because I actually titled them “S-Rank Support: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd” and “Epilogue Scrawl” in my initial draft. I deleted them because titling Dimitri’s section that way felt like it cheapened it.  
The epilogue was a chore to write because I had to keep reminding myself to include everyone’s second name. Thank you, Adrestia nobles for not having second names. Faerghus and some of you Leicester nobles though, like, damn, guys. I have a second name too but it’s not as extra as you guys (thank you, Sylvain, for having the simplest second name that I could easily remember). This second name shit is gonna beat me in the ass in my next fic, that’s for sure. I couldn’t help but include the cat in Ashe and Caspar’s support. It’s just too cute not to include. Other than that, I tried to keep the romantic implication of the other characters to a minimum (I tried) so feel free to pair the characters any way you wish… except Ingrid. I think she is still in love with Glenn (and why her vague Azure Moon ending with Ashe is my favorite ending for her).  
Wisteria Flowers  
I am a sucker for language of flowers, more specifically hanakotoba (language of flowers in Japanese). Flowers usually have different meanings in English and Japanese but here are the meaning of Wisteria flowers in hanakotoba that made me use it for this fic:  
“Acceptance” (usually means to accept a pure emotion)  
“Gentle” / “Kind”  
“To be intoxicated by love” / “A love so strong it binds” / “My love for you has me spellbound.”  
“I will never let go”  
“Devoted” / “Faithful”
> 
> Doodles of Byleth’s Outfits  
So I made a twitter yesterday (or was it the other day? Just… last Friday) and [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) told me to upload the doodles I made for Byleth’s outfits. These helps me find the right words to describe them. (Feel free to follow me and I’ll follow back. I usually just RT FE3H stuffs and you guys can bother me there too XD)  
[Verdant Miracle’s “I’m Still Alive, Edelgard.” Outfit](https://twitter.com/AngelInATeecup1/status/1177866403501600768?s=19)  
[Azure Retribution’s Opera Outfit](https://twitter.com/AngelInATeecup1/status/1177866860215144448?s=19)  
[Azure Retribution’s Epilogue Outfit](https://twitter.com/AngelInATeecup1/status/1177867207683952640?s=19)


End file.
